Christmas Present 2009
by tayla1509
Summary: Crossover: Harry Potter/ FullMetal Alchemist/ Ouran High School Host Club/ Death Note/ Twilight/ Vampire Knight/ A Tribe From Long Ago. Three characters are about to experience the consequences of not sticking to an age old tradition…


**Crossover: Harry Potter/ FullMetal Alchemist/ Ouran High School Host Club/ Death Note/ Twilight/ Vampire Knight/ A Tribe From Long Ago.**

**Rated M for later suggestiveness (Varins' fault), and some of the language…**

**I wrote the first part of this whilst listening to the song 'Dirty Diana' by Michael Jackson, over and over and over again, random trivia fact I thought you should know there! XD This story actually has… like… the first decent plot I've ever written… So, enjoy your Christmas present dudes! 8D**

**Well… it went back to my usual habit at the end. I blame the Varins. What are 'Varins' you ask? Well read on and find out…**

* * *

The snow flurried in the ruthless wind like a horde of angry bees, sticking to the already overflowed banks around the house. The night was pitch black. No moon. No stars in the sky. Only the unending canopy of grey clouds that stretched beyond the horizon decorated the heavens.

The only light present around this part of the neighbourhood that pierced through the tangible blackness was one stream of light, calling out to those lost in the storm, like some hopeful beacon leading them home.

However, the truth was, on this faithful eve, Christmas Eve, it was the only light on because the rest of the world was at slumber. It was the only light on because within its brilliant glow were three faithful companions, two of them having been trapped in the household due to the storm. It _shouldn't_ have been on. And those three were about to experience the consequences of not sticking to an age old tradition…

"Stupid storm." Tayla mumbled, rolling over in her make shift bed of duvets on the floor.

She and Sinead had had to camp on the floor of Fizz' hall. The usual red carpet sat dark against the rest of the room that was bright, bathed in the light flaring from the bulb hanging from the ceiling.

Sinead was sat up in hers; her arms crossed her knees that were pulled to her chest, watching her brunette friend fiddle to make a box for a present she was about to wrap.

"Sorry we had to crash here tonight, Fizz." She frowned slightly.

Tayla rolled over slowly again, and sat up to join the other two, a frown also on her lips.

"Yeah, Fizz, I'm sorry too." She sighed quietly. "We've practically wrecked Christmas for your family and our own." She started picking at a loose thread issuing from the quilt that was draped over her. "They're going to wake up tomorrow morning, and we're not going to be there. And your family is going to wake up tomorrow morning and we're just going to be in your way…" Suddenly her fist clenched and she slammed it down onto the floor with a resounding bang. "GOD DAMN IT I HATE THIS WEATHER!"

"SHH!" The other two hissed at her.

Realisation flooded into her mind and suddenly appeared on her face.

"Oh…" She mumbled, remembering the rest of the household was asleep. "Sorry."

Everyone let out sighs of depression and the former silence resumed.

The light overhead flickered. The friends picked up where they had left off: Tayla's eyes fixed vacantly on the systematic bombardment of snow plummeting towards the frozen earth; Sinead watched Fizz fiddle with the tiny box she was trying to assemble; Fizz continued in her attempt to make the sides of the miniature cardboard box stand up, and still she continued to fail.

Eventually Tayla got bored of watching the snow fall. It wasn't getting anymore exciting, only more boring. Most would think that amount of snow would cause anyone young at heart to leap at the nostalgic possibilities. But the snow was only getting deeper, burying everyone's enthusiasm beneath each new blanket of stainless white.

She let out yet another sigh as she turned around, with a face on her as though she was moping.

Her eyes caught Fizz finally putting the third wall in her box into place. It sparked some interest.

"What exactly are you doing, Fizz?" She asked, twisting around the crawl closer to her. Sinead joining her, also curious as to what she was actually doing.

"Building a box." She stated absent-mindedly, completely submersed in her task.

"We can see that…" murmured Sinead.

"… But what for?" Tayla finished her sentence for her.

"There." Fizz exclaimed in relief as the last wall stood up sturdily. She then turned to her friends, her eyes closing as a smile flooded her lips. She held out her arm, the tiny box still pinched between thumb and forefinger. "It's for my Mum's Christmas present."

The brunette's companion's interest increased further.

"Sort of sounds like you." Tayla laughed quietly. "Leaving things 'til the last minute." She sweatdropped slightly.

"What did you get her, anyway?" Interrupted Sinead before Tayla gave Fizz a reason to punch her.

Fizz held up her hand for the other two to wait. They watched her in confusion as she sifted through the mountain of wrapping and paper that was piled next to her. Next minute, she pulled out a little purple velvet bag with a drawstring.

Tayla and Sinead inched closer, their mouths agawp as they watched their friend undo the bag and pour a ruby encrusted ring into her palm.

"Wow!" Tayla exclaimed. "It's so pretty!"

Sinead nodded in agreement.

"Yep." Fizz said smugly.

"Can I hold it?" Tayla giggled, inching forward, her hands curled up like greedy claws.

Put Fizz closed her fingers around the small silver gift. Tayla stopped in her tracks. Her face no longer held a look of longing, nor that obsessed sparkle in her eye. Her lip was curled up to one side, surprised, and rather sulky.

"Sorry, Tayla." She smiled warmly. She held the ring up between her thumb and forefinger, the three of them staring at it with unblinking eyes. "No one's touching this ring except for my Mum."

Suddenly a rat leapt out from within the pile of wrapping paper and cardboard. Snatching the ring between its teeth and scurrying off to squeeze between the gap in the coat closet's open door, that was located under the stairs.

Immediately the three of them shrieked, shying away from the creature. Normally they were not scared of small, long-tailed furry animals. But the thought that a rodent was sat so close to them without their knowledge made shivers roll up their spines.

It was then it became apparent that the treasured item they had all been pining over mere moments ago had been stolen by the miniscule menace.

"My Mum's ring!" Fizz wailed, falling upon her side, now making attempts to catch the small, wriggling thief. But, it was too late; the thief had vanished. "Argh no! I paid a small fortune for that!"

"_Small fortune?"_ Asked Tayla raising an eyebrow.

"£200!"

Ah, a small fortune in _student_ terms.

"I've spent the whole year saving up to buy it! And now it's gone." She moped sadly.

Tayla and Sinead looked at each other, the same idea obviously ticking through their minds at that instant. Almost like they had some secret connection linking their thoughts.

"It's only a rat-"

Fizz hissed in through her teeth, her eyes bulging wide.

"- It can't have gone that far."

Fizz looked at them both as if they were diseased and had 'infected' written across their foreheads in warts that were sprouting purple pus.

"What?" Tayla asked, almost offended, raising an eyebrow at the look her friend was giving her. "We're not Manx. We can say the R.A.T word, remember?"

Fizz touched her head just in case. She was not having these two bring anymore bad luck upon her. But she had to admit she agreed with them.

"You're right!" She burst out suddenly, jumping to her feet. "It's probably dropped it or something! It's only a tiny thing. Come on, let's look for it."

They all inched over to the cupboard and switched on the light inside, which flickered like it had not been turned on in a while.

Cautiously they moved huge coats aside. Sifting through red, and blue, and green and black, being sure the little pest hadn't chewed a home into one of the thick insulated jackets. They checked all the shoes. Even the Hoover. Nothing.

Fizz sighed, but then her eyes trailed to where the cupboard carried on. She knew it was always strange how a coat closet like this stretched off so far under the stairs.

So they got on their knees and started to crawl towards where they used to play around as kids, when it was not extremely difficult for them to fit in the claustrophobic space.

The light behind them flickered as they reached the pipes that always used to block their way.

Suddenly, Tayla chuckled from within the fading light, being lodged between the other two as they crawled forward on their hands and knees.

"Heh." She laughed, almost giddily. "Hey Fizz? Remember when we used to think this cupboard led to Hogwarts?" She laughed.

A second bout of tinkling laughter filled the shrinking breathing space.

"Ha! Yeah!" She chucked as they carried on inching forward.

A brown structure became apparent, fading in through the increasing darkness. They came to a halt. Remembering this as the spot they had never been able to pass.

They groped the floor blindly, trying to find the precious present Fizz had bought for her mother.

"Anyone found anything?"

Sad voices came through the darkness.

"Nein." Tayla shook her head.

"Nope, sorry mate." Sinead added glumly.

They slunk their backs against the wall, sighing in defeat. The light hanging above the coats behind flickered. The ground sloped down slightly; it was almost as if they were going into subterranean territory.

Another humoured chuckle echoed through the grim, and a pale finger was lifter up past Fizz' face, pointing at the partially rusted pipes that were blocking their path from following the rat any further.

"Remember when you tried to shove me through those pipes?" Her eyes twinkled against the dark at the childhood memory.

Again, Fizz joined her friend in laughing. It was loud and hearty.

"Hmm." Tayla smirked, crouching as she got to her feet. "Wonder if I could fit through there now." She stuck out her tongue as if she was being awesome.

The other two laughed loudly as she lifted her leg to the gap that the two pipes created. Their laughter grew hared as she managed to stick her ankle through them.

"Oh, no, Tay!" Sinead laughed, putting a hand to her forehead, as though she couldn't watch this. "Don't go anything further! You're bigger than you were then! You'll get stu-"

"WHAT THE CRA-?!"

There was a loud bang.

"OWW!"

The laughter died in that instant, the two brunettes staring, wide eyed, at their friend, who was now crouched down, holding her head, having hit it on the low, descending ceiling. They hadn't stopped laughing and suddenly turned into goldfish due to their friend's cursing. They were amazed at the sight they were seeing, not because she had seemingly injured her, but because… she was on the other side.

"T- Tayla?" Asked Fizz shakily.

"Yeah?" Tayla asked, her lips curling up as she raised her head to look at them, her hand still rubbing at the bump that would obviously form there within a couple of minutes.

"H- How did you get through those pipes?" Sinead continued Fizz' question, her jaw hanging lop-sided slightly.

The blonde shrugged.

"They just seemed to mould around me." She blinked confusedly. "I don't know; I just fit through somehow."

The two brunettes stared at the blonde, whose view profile was partially concealed by the two coppery stripes in front of her face, for a long moment. Tayla stared back.

"Have you gone anorexic or something?" Asked Sinead seriously.

Tayla gasped.

"NO I HAVE NOT!" She shrieked. "They just moulded around me! Try it and see for yourself!"

Sinead narrowed her eyes at her friend accusingly. _Was she nuts?_ There was no way in hell she was going to be able to slide between the gaps in those two pipes. Even if she was smothered in butter, she would not be able to shimmy through.

"Seriously guys," She started, the other two blinked at her. Her tone seemed far too serious for such a situation. "If I couldn't fit through them when I was 10, and I was a stick then, how would I be able to fit through them _now_ when I'm 7 years older, a lot taller and I've got a stomach on me?"

They pondered that theory for a moment.

"She does have a point…" Mumbled Fizz, Sinead stared at her like she was nuts too. "After you Sinead." She grinned.

Sinead gawped.

"NO! After you!"

"No, no." Fizz said politely. "After _you."_

"You!"

"YOU!"

"OH, COME ON GUYS!"

Their heads snapped to see Tayla's arm stick out between the pipes, a curious silver glow sitting around where her skin touched the pipes, almost like it was a mirage or it was stretching meet the requirements of her joints.

They blinked at the sight. Now that was just plain weird.

"Ok." Fizz breathed in a slow calming breath, as though preparing herself for the feat.

Sinead almost rolled her eyes.

"COME ON SINEAD!"

"WHAT?! NO!"

She'd grabbed her by the hand and they strode through the pipes.

Sinead opened her eyes. Her body had been tensed for the impact. Tayla and Fizz were grinning sheepishly at her. Almost laughing at her cowering stance.

"What?" She snapped accusingly. "Just because I don't want to get bruised by pipes that-" She had held out her hand to demonstrate the pipes they had just walked through. She turned slowly when she felt nothing but air, staring blankly at the space when her arm had disappeared and a silvery glow was knitted around her skin. "… aren't… tangible."

She moved her arm from side to side. Just being sure she wasn't seeing things. Unknowingly an impressed smirk flooded her lips.

"Cool." She stated, impressed. Then her gaze swivelled around her eyes narrowing again. "Did you know about this?" Thinking they had been playing a joke on her.

Fizz and Tayla shook their heads, looking vaguely lost as they crouched trying to avoid hitting their heads on the low ceiling.

"Nope." They both shook their heads. "We're just as stumped about this as you are."

Sinead digested that information for a moment.

"Ok." She finally decided.

There was a moment of awkward silence, for they had expected their journey to end at the pipes. But they had gone beyond the end… now the possibilities were endless.

"So…" Fizz began, breaking the uneasy silence. "Are we going to carry on looking for that ring or not?"

They all looked at each other, debating. It was the reason, after all, that they had ventured down here in the first place. So why let the adventure end now?

The two whom she was asking, nodded, accepting in the challenge.

"Ok, then…" Fizz grinned. "Tayla you go first."

She shoved her friend forward, deeper into the tunnel, so that she had to duck down me. She stumbled as she tried to stop herself from falling over in the cramped descending space. All she could do was look over her shoulder, her visible eye glinting in the light from the cupboard behind them.

"Why me?!" She protested, lodging herself in place with her arms in case they tried to push her again.

"Because!" Fizz began. "If we come across anything that wants to eat us, or attack us, they'll go for the weakest one first! And we all know that's you!"

Tayla huffed, angry that, that statement was indeed true.

"All right, all right." She grumbled, crouching down onto her hands and knees, dirtying her pyjamas in the unknown dirt that resided there. "Come on then."

The other two followed and so they slowly shuffled forward, checking with sense of touch and limited sight for the ring they were in desperate search of.

Eventually the light died away. And they were moving forward through complete darkness, unable to sit up, the ceiling only being a few centimetres from the top of their heads, the walls encasing them in. They had no idea how long they had been searching. And if anything were to happen down here, they were unable to go back. They were completely trapped…

"Anyone found anything?" Fizz asked, from where she was lodged in the middle.

"Nope!" The other two called back.

"Anyone have any idea where we're going?" Enquired Sinead.

"Nope!" The other two answered.

"Does anyone have any idea how we're going to get ba- OWW!"

The other two skidded to halt in their baby crawls. Up ahead, it was obvious Tayla had collided with something, as there had been a loud thud before she had yelped out in pain.

Maybe the ceiling had collapsed in on her? Or maybe she had just scraped her hand? They didn't know. They couldn't see. But before they got to screaming for her to answer them and confirm that she was alive, and had, indeed, not been crushed by falling rubble, they heard her mumble grouchily.

"_Why is it always me?"_

But before they could ask what she was talking about, the section of darkness before Tayla opened, shedding feeble light into the crevice, giving them some hope.

"Oh thank God!" Cheered Fizz as they raced forward to join Tayla in wherever she had emerged.

But when they emerged in the old fashioned, stone panelled hallway, they were lost for words.

"W- Where are we?" Mumbled Fizz in awe, glancing around at the intricate tapestries lining the walls, the statues of armour that were stationed against the walls, stood to attention, gleaming dully in the silver moonlight that was streaming in through the large windows of clear panelled glass, that were so tall their arcs met the ceiling… and how each tiny whisper was projected and personified as it echoed off of the solid stone walls.

It was awe-inspiring. No place they had ever stepped foot in had ever been so beautiful. It wasn't even natural. Where on earth where they?

They jumped as the sound of metal ricocheted around the uninhabited corridor. One of the armour statues moved. The panel in the wall they had arrived through had closed shut again, and the statue had moved to cover its place. To hide it, this was just too weird. Statues couldn't move of their own accord…

No one said anything. They were all too shocked. All too amazed. All they could do was continue to glance around, and take everything in.

Tayla's eyes trailed silently to the windows. Outside, snow was falling gently. The action was neither violent, nor hurried. It was gentle and leisurely. She found herself going to lean against the stone wall that gave hollow to the glass window her warm breath was staining with misty condensation.

"That's what snow _should_ be like." She murmured, as she leant back against the wall slightly, making her position more comfortable.

But, disturbing the peaceful tranquillity of the night, the sound of screeching metal filled the corridor. Tayla had leant against a suit of armour, and sent it falling over. After that, one by one, the statues crashed into each other, toppling over like dominoes, creating a ruches beyond imagination. It was more than likely to have awoken the owner of the place they were now in.

"Crap!" Hissed Tayla, staring, panicking at the disaster she had just created.

"Oh now you've done it!" Screeched Fizz, poisonously.

"What do we do?" Asked Tayla, her eyes wide, her voice filled with nervous anticipation of the consequence of ruining such an ancient collection of decorations.

"What do you think?!" Sinead said harshly over the other two's panic. "WE RUN!"

They made to make a get away when a light appeared in the opposite end of the corridor from the direction they had had been heading, they froze in their tracks when they heard some one call out.

"Who is there?!"

All of their heads turned around slowly, looking at the dot of light slowly getting larger and larger as the person made their way over to them.

"Shit…" Tayla murmured her eyes wide.

Why couldn't they move?

The fact was: they had been caught. They couldn't move because they were guilty, and absolutely petrified.

"Who is there?!" The voice asked again. "State your names!"

Their eyes squinted as the person finally came into view. But the truth was, the person wasn't alone. He had two other people flanking him, as protection.

Tayla felt her eyes narrow further, not from the blinding light, but trying to recognise the person now metres away from them. She knew that person, she just couldn't remember who it was…

Suddenly everything was clear. The person carrying the lantern was so easily recognisable. His wafting blond hair, his sapphire blue eyes, his confident posture, that look of power, yet nervousness from possible danger in his eyes. It was all crystal clear.

"Tamaki?" Tayla asked aloud.

The three people walking towards them stopped, staring at them with confused looks.

"Tamaki Suou?"

"How do you know my name?!" Tamaki asked from his position metres away from the girls. "Who are you?! You shouldn't be out of bed! The professors won't be happy to hear about this! How have the prefects not caught you before this point?!"

"Out of bed?" Mumbled Fizz.

"Prefects?" Added Sinead.

"Professors?" Finally slurred Tayla, all three of them looking at Tamaki and his company in utter confusion. "Where are we?" Tayla asked of the three males, narrowing an eye. "And why are you three here? This doesn't look like Ouran Academy."

Yet again, the three of them stifled.

"How do you know that we attend Ouran Academy?" Asked Tamaki wide-eyed. Like he was seeing a ghost or something. "The student body isn't even supposed to know we're here!"

"_Student body?"_ Tayla raised an eye-brow. "Where exactly are we?" She asked of them again.

"Why, you're standing within the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! The most prestigious school attended by Witches and Wizards in the United Kingdom! And the venue of this year's Host Club Christmas Ball!" Tamaki boasted, extending his arms as though he were making a presentation to a board of executives. "But of course, you must know that! Being students here! Students that are _out of bed,_ I might add."

"Hogwarts?!" They all spluttered at the same time. Looking at each other as though something they had breathed in that tunnel had made them go high.

"Yes. Hogwarts. But, as I already said, you should already know that." Tamaki was moving forward towards them again now. "But what I would like to know is: how do you know my name?"

Tayla, Fizz and Sinead all thought they had gone nuts. This couldn't have happened, could it?

If this was true, they needed to explain their position. How they were _not_ students, and how they knew of Ouran's elite Host Club.

"Well, Senpai." Tayla began, the other two blinked at her. _Why was she converging with him? They needed to get out of here, and fast._ "I know of your name because you are the son of Yuzuru Suou, Superintendent of the elite Ouran Academy. You are the King of the school's prestigious Host Club. You are well known among us here."

Tamaki gazed confusedly at the two people either side of him. _How did she know so much_?

"And the people standing on either side of you are the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru. Their family own a computer software company, and their mother, Yuzuha Hitachiin, is a famous fashion designer."

Suddenly she realised she had missed something else.

"Also," she added quickly, "we're not students here, although we may look like it in our pyjamas." A slight blush flooded her cheeks, put she flushed it out immediately. "We were following a rat that stole my friend's mother's Christmas present. We crawled through a series of tunnels that the rat appeared to have gone through. We had no idea it led here. Sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused you. Gomennasai." She placed her hands in her lap and bowed forward slightly.

Fizz and Sinead were silently thankful for Tayla's knowledge of Japanese culture.

Although she had mentioned everything, she had left out one _tiny_ detail. The fact that all of these things, including Tamaki and the twins, who were stood _right_ in front of them, were fictional, yet now tangible. And that little fact was what still implored them to question their sanities.

The twins stepped forward, away from their Senpai's side, a finger on both of their lips as they stared at the three girls, who were suddenly all very nervous again.

"They seem to know enough." Said the twin whose fringe was pointing towards the left.

"And their reason for being here, however odd it sounds, seems valid, I mean look at them, they're filthy." Added the other.

The three of them let out a breath, quietly mumbling.

"_Thank you."_

The twins, kept their gaze locked on them, still pondering something.

"What did you say your names were?" Tamaki's voice drifted past the twins.

Tayla smiled nervously; perhaps this meant they weren't going to be punished for what they had done.

"Watashi no namae wa McCoy Tayla desu." She replied simply. "Tamaki-Senpai kochira-wa Fizz-san, soshite kochira-wa Sinead-san." Gesturing to each of her respective friends when she spoke their name.

Sinead and Fizz blinked at Tayla.

"Oh, I see." Tamaki said after a short moment, holding back a smile. Like he was informing her she didn't have to talk Japanese the entire time. Besides, if she did it would be insulting, as she already knew.

But then Tamaki narrowed a suspicious eye at them.

"But how do we know we can trust you?"

The twins seemed to jump at the opportunity, large feline grins taking refuge on their lips. Suddenly they were flanking their Senpai, their arms draped lazily over each shoulder.

"I know Boss…" Murmured the one leaning on his left shoulder, almost deviously.

"How about we play…" The other one droned out dramatically, as they pulled flat caps from behind their backs and placed them on their heads to cover their fringes.

They stepped forward and struck a dramatic pose.

"The 'Which one is Hikaru-kun' game!"

Suddenly they started circling around each other.

"So…" One said as the moved.

"Ladies…" Said the other one.

"Which one of us…"

"Is Hikaru-kun?!"

They stopped dramatically and lolled on each others shoulders, grinning at the girls.

All three of them blinked.

"You." One pointed at Fizz, who stifled.

"Can you tell us apart?" The other one continued.

Fizz shook her head, her mouth wide, her posture stiffened, looking petrified.

"How about you?" The first twin's finger swept to Sinead, who started to stare at them in deep concentration.

"Can you tell who is Hikar-?"

"- I can."

The twins' eyes swept to Tayla, as Sinead let out the breath she had been holding.

"Ok, then." One smirked.

"Which one of us is Hikaru?"

She didn't hesitate in answering; she pointed at the red-headed twin on the left.

"You're Hikaru."

She pointed at the twin on the right.

"You're Kaoru."

The twins' amber eyes trailed to each other. They locked eye contact for a brief instant, and then smirked.

"Lucky guess." Murmured Kaoru.

"Turn around and close your eyes."

Tayla did as they asked of her. A small smirk flooded her lips, unbeknownst to them.

The twins shuffled themselves again.

"Ok." She heard a voice.

She turned around, opening her confident eyes, to see the twins lolling on each other again.

"Identify…" Started one.

"… Hikaru." Finished the other.

Again she pointed at the twin on the left.

"Hikaru."

She pointed at the other.

"Kaoru."

Their mouths dropped open.

"Close your eyes again!"

She did so.

They moved around in circles so fast it looked like they were floating.

"NOW!"

Tayla opened her eyes to see them leaning on each other, but this time it was for support, as they panted from the amount of effort they had put in.

"Who!"

"Is!"

"Hikaru?!"

Calmly she pointed at the twin hunched over on the right.

"You."

Their eyes went wide as a convulsion of shock rolled through their entire frames, making their hair stand on end.

"How are you doing that?!" Demanded Hikaru.

"Yeah!" Coincided Kaoru. "No one has ever been able to tell us apart! Apart from Haruhi…" He trailed of. "… and Senpai for a short length of time."

"It's simple." Tayla stated.

"Oh really?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah it is." She shrugged. "I mean, if you hadn't spoken it would have been _a lot_ harder…"

"Spoken?" They asked together, flabbergasted. Shooting each other confused looks.

"Yeah." I mean. "I can tell you apart because of your voices."

"Oh really?" Hikaru smirked again.

"Close your eyes again." Kaoru said.

Tayla huffed as she rolled her eyes, but then did as they said.

They started to pass around where she was stood, obviously shuffling themselves again. They closed in on her, making it so they were literally breathing down her throat, a twin on either side of her, sneering at an ear each.

"Ok, Tayla-chan." One smirked.

"Can you tell who is Hikaru-kun now?"

Sinead and Fizz noticed a blush had coloured her cheeks. She was obviously flustered by the fact they were in such a close proximity to her. Cautiously she raised her right hand, and accidentally placed it on the twin's cheek, whose eyes had widened.

"You're Hikaru-kun." She confirmed assuredly.

The twin who had Tayla's hand on his cheek stepped back, completely in awe; Tayla opened her eyes, her blue irises flashing to Hikaru who was gawping at her.

"H- How do you do that?" He stammered.

Kaoru stepped to his side, peering at her in equal astonishment.

"There must be some trick to it." He started trying to turn around to see if she had stuck something on his back. "Hikaru, has she stuck some magical thing on me to modify my voice or something?!"

Hikaru started panicking.

"No! What about me?!"

"It's really not that hard." She murmured embarrassedly through their panic.

They stopped dead and looked at her as if she was bewitched.

"How do you do it then?!" Kaoru demanded.

"This is outrageous!" Hikaru agreed. "How do you tell us apart?!"

"Well…" Tayla pondered, lifting a finger to her chin. Her eyes trailing to the ceiling as she tried to find words to describe it. "I always remember Hikaru having a nicer voice than Kaoru…"

One twin's mouth suddenly fell open, his cheeks becoming a rosy pink.

A sincere smile flooded the blonde's lips as she chuckled merrily.

"The twin who is blushing is Hikaru."

Hikaru immediately stopped himself from looking like a goldfish, his cheeks still emblazoned a light pink colour, and looked at the floor embarrassedly, like he was not in awe of her, and slightly touched by her comment.

"Well," Tamaki suddenly made his presence known again. He was smiling contently. "At least we know we can trust them, now." He closed his eyes and laughed softly. The twins still looked astounded.

The three girls relaxed. It seemed they were in the all clear; they were no longer suspected of being here for malicious intentions, on the verge of wrecking their, obviously, very expensive and anticipated Christmas Ball.

The males then turned around, drifting off into quiet conversation. It was more than obvious that they were walking away from them, as their silhouettes faded into the darkness at the further end of the corridor. Then they stopped abruptly, and peered back at the timid females.

"Well?" Hikaru asked, his voices ricocheting off the walls, piercing the tension-filled silence that lay between the two groups.

"_Well?"_ Tayla asked, raising her eyebrow slightly, rubbing her arm in a nervous manner.

"Come on, then." The other twin continued.

The girls peered around themselves.

_What?_

Tamaki sighed, shaking his head slightly as he turned back to them. He stared at them with an aura of seriousness.

"You're coming to work for us. You're in debt for tonight."

Immediately the three girls went rigid.

"D- Debt?" Fizz stuttered.

What on earth had they done to fall into the Host Club's Debt? They hadn't broken any 8 million yen vases had they?!

"Yes. Debt." Yet again the girls stifled. "You created a mess that we're going to have to pay the Professors to clean up. You've also wasted our time, by making us come out here and sort out the ruches. You're working for us for a minimum of 5 hours, that should suffice enough, I think."

"F- Five…?" Murmured Sinead.

"H- Hours?" Stuttered Tayla, who was now shaking.

"B- But!"

"No buts."

"BUT!" Fizz exclaimed.

Tamaki repeated "No buts!" again.

"BUT!" Fizz interjected again. "MY MOTHER'S RING! WE NEED TO FIND IT! IT'S CHRISTMAS TOMORROW! AND IF WE'RE NOT THERE WHEN SHE WAKES UP-"

Fizz stopped abruptly, her lips tight, her eyes wide. Slowly she flushed a pale green colour in the dim moonlight flecking in through the windows. It looked like she was about to be sick, or in the minimum at least pass out.

"Fizz?" Sinead asked tentatively, waving a hand in front of her friend's face.

The Host Club members had moved closer to look at them, confused expressions written across their faces.

"Fizz?" Tayla asked again, trying to coax her friend out of her shocked stupor. "Fuzzlington? Hello…? Are you in ther- LOOK OUT!"

Tayla leapt forward and pushed the other two out of the way as a jet of red light flew towards them; Tamaki and the twins leapt out of the way as the hex flew through the air that had previous been filled by their easily injured bodies.

In the process of shoving her friends out of the way, they had stumbled towards a pillar that was holding a sort of pensive, and sent it, just like the statues of armour, toppling over. However, this time it did not hit another member of its family, but, instead, knocked into a torch that was mounted close by on the wall, tipping the former mentioned item at an odd angle, and thus, setting the tapestry displaying a wizard apparently trying to teach trolls to dance the delicate art of ballet alight, and as it appeared from the moving weave-work, it wasn't going too well, especially not since their tapestry had caught fire and they were running to the further end of the fabric, trying to escape the wrath of the flames.

"OH SHIT!" Wailed Tayla, staring helplessly at the burning artwork. "WHY IS IT _ALWAYS_ ME?!"

Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru had all ran over, obviously distressed at the fact that something was burning, and the flames were now casting an unwanted glow upon them.

"YOU'RE _SO_ GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT!" Bellowed Tamaki, waving a fist at the quivering blonde.

"Boss!" One of the twins cried distressed. "Don't you think we should do something?!"

"What can we do?!" He exclaimed. "I haven't seen any fire extinguishers in this place!"

Everyone slipped further into panic; Tayla immediately started apologizing.

"I'm sorry!"

"I really think we should do something!"

"FIRE EXTINGUISHERS! THERE IS NONE!"

"SORRY!"

"EXTINGUISHERS!"

"DIRT?!"

"STOP, DROP AND ROLL?!"

"IT'S A TAPESTRY!"

"SO?!"

"WE COULD TRY BLOWING IT OUT LIKE A BIRTHDAY CAKE!"

"LOOK AT THE TROLLS! THEY'RE BURNING TO DEATH!"

"PENSIEVES?! I'M SURE THEY HAD WATER IN THEM!"

"SHE KNOCKED THE ONLY ONE OVER!"

"DAMN IT!"

"I'M SORRRYYY!" Tayla wailed again, tears streaming down her face as her form shook, watching in despair as the flames consumed the tapestry further and approached the trolls and their wizard teacher.

"SAND?!"

"WIND?!"

"I'M SOR-!"

"AGUAMENTI!"

Everyone stopped their panic to see a girl with bushy brown hair, directing her wand at the burning tapestry, water spurting from its tip, dousing the flames.

"Oh thank goodness." Breathed Sinead, putting a hand to her forehead in relief.

But before they could thank their saviours, as the girl had now been joined by a towering red-headed male, and another boy with black hair and a curious lightning-bolt shaped scar, the girl turned on her fiery haired companion, clear discontent written across her features.

"See Ronald!" She spat. "Think before you launch jinxes at people! You nearly burnt down the entire castle!"

"But Hermione!" The tall boy red-headed boy named 'Ronald' moaned, as though deeply regretful. "They looked like Death Eaters from the other end of the corridor! It was dark! And besides… I've never seen them before!"

She hit him sharply across the shoulder, he flinched slightly.

"DO THEY LOOK LIKE DEATH EATERS?!" She gestured to the 6 of them, all of whom were now stood, looking bruised and battered from colliding with the walls and pensieves, dishevelled from scrambling to put out the fire they had created, along with mute and wide eyed, petrified of the consequences of what they had just done, as well as the fact that these new people appeared to be able to do magic. This meant that they were, in simpler words, _screwed._

The bushy haired girl turned to 6 petrified statues, an embarrassed look on her face.

"Sorry about that." She apologized, now smiling. "Ron tends to act without thinking."

The lot of them unfroze, letting out the breaths they had been holding.

It was then the girls realised who they were talking to, they dived past Hermione and attacked Harry with fangirl like questions.

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE HARRY POTTER!"

"Erm, yeah…"

"I don't believe it! Harry Potter!"

"Heh." Harry sweatdropped slightly.

But soon enough the girls calmed down, and Harry started to warm to them. They weren't as bad as they first appeared to be, they were more concerned with finding this ring they were in search of. He was also revealed that he, Hermione and Ron had crept down from their dormitories to see what all the ruches had been about, which was in fact their knocking over the pensieve and screaming over the fire.

Harry ruffled a hand through the back of his hair.

"You're not actually that bad." He smiled.

The three of them wanted to dance for joy, Harry Potter, _the_ Harry Potter, had referred to them as _not bad._

Hermione and Ron had started conversation with the Host Club trio, questioning why they were indeed in Hogwarts; it appeared the Host Club's Christmas Ball wouldn't be a secret for much longer.

Suddenly, Harry stopped mid conversation, turning to look down the corridor they had previous walked up. His eyes were narrowed, like he could sense something the others couldn't.

Soon enough it became apparent that a figure was moving towards them, obscured by the darkness.

Harry was taking no chances. He flicked his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

But then pleas echoed back at him.

"AH! NO! HARRY! IT'S ME! IT'S ME!"

Harry's eyes narrowed further, but then he recognized the owner of the voice.

"Neville?" He called out.

"Yeah, it's me." Neville said, he looked rather glum… it wasn't like him to be out of bed after hours…

"What's wrong Neville?" Harry asked.

"It's… It's…" He sniffed.

"Spit it out, Neville."

"It's Trevor."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Trevor?" He asked sceptically. "Your toad? You _actually_ found him again?"

"Yeah." Neville moped; Harry was very surprised to learn this piece of information. "But he ran away again. I knew he was gone because his slimy little body was missing from the pillow beside me. He left his night cap behind, look."

And so Neville proceeded to hold up a tiny blue cap, obviously knitted with tender, love and care for his beloved toad.

"It's all I have left of him now." And then he burst into tears.

Harry felt extremely awkward, and so went to patting Neville on the shoulder comfortingly with ineptness.

Everyone burst into conversation: the Host Club asking who on earth this _Trevor _person was. The rest of them discussing where the toad kept on running off too, or maybe it was just the fact he didn't like Neville and his knitwear…

The conversation eventually trailed from the toad back to finding the ring again. And it was now Neville's turn to feel left out.

But then he remembered something, maybe he had been dreaming… but maybe someone else had seen him too.

"Guys…" Neville interrupted nervously, but everyone kept talking, no one took notice of him. "G- Guys…"

"What is it Neville?!"

"I- I thought I would just say… that I saw Santa Claus on the way up here."

"Sure Neville, _Santa Claus_. Father Christmas. St Nicholas." Ron exaggerated waving his hands about him, to show that Neville was putting on an act.

"But I did!" He exclaimed defensively, hugging the nightcap closer to his body.

"Sure Neville. Sure, sure." Ron smiled sarcastically. He was just seeing things because he missed his toad… nothing more.

"Bullying your friends are you now, Weasel?"

The group turned to the shadows to see the pale complexion of Draco Malfoy slither into the moonlight.

"Shove off, Malfoy." Harry defended, stepping forward in front of both Ron and Neville, as though protecting them.

"Why should I, Scarhead? Why should I deny you an opportunity to grow your pride?" He sneered.

Harry eyes narrowed. Then he noticed something: Draco was alone.

"Where're Crabbe and Goyle? You must be feeling lonely now that you don't have those two to protect you." Harry sneered back.

"Gave them the slip, didn't I?" Draco chimed, rather pleased with himself. "Stupid fools didn't even give a grunt at the noise of the dorm door slamming behind me."

"Some friend you are to them."

"At least my friends aren't a Weasel and a Mudblood."

"DON'T CALL HER THAT!"

"Oh please, Harry." Hermione stepped forward. "He doesn't scare me. Let me punch him again."

The other two had to hold her back; Draco's eyes widened.

"No Hermione." Ron stopped her. "He's not worth it."

"At least let me turn him into a ferret!"

The other two looked at each other, grinned and nodded in agreement. They let her go.

Hermione flicked her wand violently at Draco

"Abeo Sarcalogos!"

Draco froze where he was, as he began to expand. His sides seemed into turn to jelly and then puff out like a balloon being blown up. His eyes bulged, as the pale pallor of his skin darkened shade by shade until he resembled a Christmas Pud. Everyone stared on in disbelief. Because the truth was… he _was_ a Christmas Pudding.

"Bloody hell…" Ron gasped as though he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Hermione…" Harry said quietly, his eyes not leaving the giant dessert sat in front of them. "What have you done?"

Hermione put her wand smartly back in the front pocket of her robes, a dignified expression on her face.

"I've shown Draco Malfoy for what he truly is."

Everyone turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"A Christmas Pudding?" Asked Sinead sceptically.

Hermione nodded, going off into one of her brain box explanations.

"Yes, for you see, Draco Malfoy _is_ like a Christmas Pudding."

"DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE ME TO SUCH A VILE MUGGLE CHRISTMAS DESSERT MUDBLOOD! JUST WAIT UNTIL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS!"

Hermione ignored the gigantic pudding that was ranting and rocking before them, and carried on as if no one had spoken.

"Malfoy is like a Christmas Pudding, because you either love him or hate him. There's no in betweens. He's just one big pudding." She explained simply.

Draco continued to rant and rave in the background.

Suddenly a dark-haired man with glasses stepped out of the shadows. Everyone turned to look at him; no one had known he was there.

"What a detailed assumption young Miss."

"Who's he?" Asked Neville, his eyes going large, rather frightened of the smirk the tall male was wearing.

"They don't call him the Shadow King for nothing, you know." Tayla stated with a small smirk.

The tall male turned at the sound of Tayla's voice, and walked over to her with the stride of a noble. He took her hand and bowed before her. Everyone except the host club, Sinead and Fizz blinked, even Draco the Giant Pudding managed to blink at the sight.

"Kyouya Ootori, at your service."

Suddenly Tamaki was leaning over the blushing blonde and his cool-exteriorsed companion.

"Ah, I see you've met Kyouya, our vice-president and accountant."

Kyouya stood up and looked over at Tamaki.

"You've been a while." He said, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Tamaki apologized, flicking his hair. "We had to deal with this lot."

"Ah I see." He flipped open his note book, took out a pen and started scrawling majestically. "Well, lucky for you, we're still on target for finishing the decorating before dawn. The catering has all been taken care of, and all of our guests are still accounted for." He looked up. His face growing displeased at the sight of the collapsed armour and charred tapestry. He tried to remain calm, though his eye was twitching slightly. He took a deep breath, and managed to speak calmly. "Who did that?"

Tamaki pointed accusingly at Fizz, Sinead and Tayla.

"Those three!"

They all stifled again. They were utterly fucked now. They were about to undergo the Shadow King's wrath, there was no wrath worse.

Kyouya shut his notebook, the sound of it now echoing around the completely silent corridor. He made his approach with calm, calculated strides. This made him appear all the more menacing.

He stopped in front of them, all three of them cowering, as he peered over them.

But he didn't explode; he just spoke to them calmly.

"Do you have any idea how old this castle is?"

They wanted to hazard a guess, but in fear of being wrong they shook their heads frantically.

"Do you think just because our parents are so prestigiously known that we're made of money?"

Yet again they shook their heads madly, not taking their eyes off of him.

"DO YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY ANY IDEA HOW OLD AND PRICELESS THE ITEMS IN THIS CASTLE ARE THEN?!" He roared.

That broke them. They shook their heads frantically, as though begging for their lives.

But it was to be that their lives would be spared for a while longer…

Footsteps could be heard rattling from the adjoining corridor, and almost the sound of moving armour… Had the other suits of armour in the castle come to life?

Everyone froze. If it were prefects or professors they were toast. If it was now living suits of armour… they _might_ be toast.

But then two figures appeared around the corner, and appeared to be in whispered conversation.

Everyone stared.

Coming towards them was a small boy and a large suit of armour, clinking loudly as it moved.

…

Was this some sort of joke?

Was there someone inside that suit of armour? Why ever would they want to lug that huge thing around using themselves? Wouldn't it practically kill them? Or maybe the person inside was some huge body builder who was capable of crushing their skulls using only one hand…

_Oh bollocks… _

Then the smaller of the two companions spotted the group, made up of the Host Club, Fizz, Sinead, Tayla, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Ron and a giant Christmas pudding, that was still seething in Potter's, and his companion's, direction.

"Hey!" The small blond traveller called out to them. All of them remained frozen, even though it was obvious he was neither a professor nor a student, as he was wearing a wafting red cloak and white gloves instead of the Prefect's robes and badge. "Would any of you be able to help us?!"

He ran forward, almost in a frenzied manner, like he was hurrying somewhere. But it was more than obvious that he and his companion of walking armour were lost.

He stopped in front of them and bowed slightly, obviously greeting them.

"Sorry, if I sounded impolite." He stood up again, a smile on his face. So he was just happy he had found someone within the castle, he wasn't in a rush, it appeared. "My name is Edward Elric, but you may know me better as 'the FullMetal Alchemist' and this is my brother, Al."

He gestured to the humungous suit of armour beside him.

"The FullMetal Alchemist?!" Hermione cried, everyone looked at her. She seemed to be jumping up and down on the spot with excitement, everyone but her and the other girls were confused. "Edward Elric! The youngest State Alchemist to be selected by the State Military in history! You can charge alchemical currents through your body by just simply connecting your hands!"

Edward sweatdropped slightly, putting a hand to the back of his head, as though he was smug.

"Glad to see someone's heard of me here." His face unscrunched to become a more serious expression. "We wondering if you could help us, we come here in search of the lapis philosophorum; chrysopoeia; al-iksir; alkahest, or the Mutus Liber, or the Emerald Tablet, which are both said to contain the instructions to create what we are looking for: Magnum Opus; the Grand Arcanum. If we can not, or do not, find what we're looking for here, as we have heard it is here, we wish to study these texts further."

"_What the hell are you looking for?!" _Ron burst out, completely and utterly confused by the strange language this young man was talking.

Hermione hit Ron lightly on the arm.

"Ron! That's so easy!"

"Easy for you!"

"You've heard of lapis philosophorum, chrysopoeia, al-iksir and alkahest! And so has Harry!"

"We have?!" They both exclaimed.

"Yes. You have." She stated simply. "Lapis philosophorum from Latin, chrysopoeia from Greek, al-iksir from Arabic, alkahest from the Swiss alchemist, Philippus Paracelsus's theory are otherwise more simply known as the Philosopher's Stone!"

Everyone blinked at her.

"According to Paracelsus, Alkahest is the undiscovered element from which all the other elements: earth, fire, water, air, are simply derived." Still, everyone was confused. "And Mutus Liber, translated as 'The Wordless Book', is thought to be a collection of 15 illustrations, and is a symbolic instruction manual for concocting a Philosopher's Stone!

"The Emerald Tablet is also known as the Smaragdine Table; Tabula Smaragdina; The Secret of Hermes; The Secret of Secrets, is also instructions thought to be used to make the Philosopher's Stone, as well as spiritual awakening within the alchemist himself. It is thought that the following is written on only one Emerald Tablet, and holds the secrets to all:

"It contains an accurate commentary that can't be doubted.

It states: _What is the above is from the below and the below is from the above. The work of wonders is from one._ And all things sprang from this essence through a single projection. How marvelous is its work! It is the principle part of the world and its custodian. Its father is the sun and its mother is the moon. Thus the wind bore it within it and the earth nourished it. Father of talismans and keeper of wonders. Perfect in power that reveals the lights. It is a fire that became our earth. Separate the earth from the fire and you shall adhere more to that which is subtle than that which is coarse, through care and wisdom. It ascends from the earth to the heaven. It extracts the lights from the heights and descends to the earth containing the power of the above and the below for it is with the light of the lights. Therefore the darkness flees from it. The greatest power overcomes everything that is subtle and it penetrates all that is coarse. The formation of the microcosm is in accordance with the formation of the macrocosm. The scholars made this their path. This is why Thrice Hermes was exalted with wisdom. This is his last book that he hid in the catacomb.

"It is said to be attributed to Aristotle's idea: Simple things want to become more complex; all things want to better themselves, and so, the things around them better themselves to keep up with those that _have_ bettered themselves, and so the world evolves."

Everyone was now listening intently; Ed had a smile on his face due to this girl's knowledge of the myths and legends of alchemy.

"The Grand Arcanum and Magnum Opus are effectively the same thing." She continued. "They are said to be the successful completion of the transmutation of base matter into gold or the creation of the Philosopher's Stone.

"Magnum Opus is known to have four stages: Nigredo/ Blackening: corruption, dissolution and individuation. Albedo/ Whitening: purification, the burning out of impurity; this process was said to be done by the Moon, which represents the female part of the process. Citrinitas/ Yellowing: spiritualisation, enlightenment; this process is said to be done by the Sun, ultimately the male part of the process. (This is very similar to what is written on the Emerald Tablet, with the Sun being the 'Father' and the Moon being the 'Mother'). Rubedo/ Reddening: unification of man with God, unification of the limited with the unlimited, the beginning with the end, in effectiveness: immortality.

"While the Grand Arcanum is known to require a much higher sacrifice. In this process, the stone is made up of a substance called 'red water' thought to be made up of Vermilion and Mercury, and, a priceless ingredient, human souls, 10 thousand souls to be exact.

At this point, Ed looked away.

"Whichever way you look at it… creating a Philosopher's Stone requires the largest amount of equivalent exchange: human lives for unlimited power. Creating an item that surpasses the law of equivalent exchange, gaining without sacrifice, because you already have the exchange right there… in the palm of your hand."

Then a slight frown fell onto her lips, Harry took over for her.

"Sorry to inform you Edward, but the Philosopher's Stone was removed from this castle and destroyed about 4 years ago." He, too, was frowning. Sorry that the two travellers had ventured here for nothing.

But Tayla suddenly cut in.

"But that doesn't necessary mean that the Mutus Liber isn't here in the Restricted Section." Edward now realised that she was there. He startled a little when she spoke, because everyone else had been as quiet as the grave; Tayla sweatdropped slightly at the look he and Harry we're giving her. (This was obviously because Harry was wondering how the hell a muggle could know about the Restricted Section of the school's library). Tayla tried to change the subject. "Oh! We never introduced ourselves earlier."

Tayla bowed over a little.

"I'm Tayla McCoy."

"Felicity Lugton, better known 'Fizz'." Fizz continued, adding some of Edwards flare to her words, almost like she was mocking him… but she didn't mean it.

"Sinead McKeefrey."

"Harry Potter."

…

It went around everyone, who all introduced themselves. Ed and Al now felt a bit more relaxed, at least they could put names to faces, all except for Hikaru and Kaoru of course, it took a special kind of eye to tell them apart… or an ear.

"So, Edward." Hermione began. "If the Mutus Liber is anywhere, it'll either be in the Restricted Section of the library, which I highly doubt because if it contains instructions on how to create a Philosopher's Stone it wouldn't be left where curious, rule-breaking students could get their hands on it. So my best guess is that it's in the Ministry somewhere, hidden under high security, or perhaps Gringotts…"

"Hmm…" Edward paused for thought.

Everyone joined him in revelling over the ideas.

Everyone, except for Tamaki. Because Tamaki had more serious issues on his mind right now.

Tamaki looked down at the small blond alchemist, his eyes shimmering, like he was having a revelation.

"Why do we sound practically the same?" He asked, awed, staring upon the vertically challenged male.

The side of Edward's mouth curled up, like he was smug. He put his hand to his chin, his finger pointing out like he was posing as he murmured in thought

"Hmm, I dunno." He closed his eyes as he murmured. "Perhaps it's just mere coincidence."

Tamaki's lips pouted, as he thought, and then he started to shake his head.

"No, no. It has to be more than that." He went into exactly the same thinking stance as Edward and pondered for a moment as everyone in the host club's eyes fixed on him in a reluctant manner. Knowing what was coming.

Suddenly Tamaki sprung out of his mould and spun around in a dramatic manner, his finger pointing at Edward, who looked at back him rather frightened, freezing up, his hair standing on end, and wailing as though he wasn't going to like what was about to happen next.

"I've got it!" Announced Tamaki as he spun round. He snapped to a halt, pointing at the paralyzed strawberry blond. "Maybe we're brothers!" Tamaki gushed.

Everyone looked at each other worriedly. This wasn't going to go down well.

Tamaki was now dancing on the spot at the fact he could have an unknown sibling. Edward, however, looked clueless.

He started laughing nervously, his eyebrows rising into his hairline.

"Heh, sorry Tamaki. But I already have a brother."

Tamaki stopped his dancing immediately; staring at Edward as though it was the end of the world.

Suddenly he was huddled in the corner. A dark cloud had ascended over his head. Everyone in the Host Club let out a sigh. They knew this had been coming.

Tayla huffed slightly at Tamaki's overreaction.

"Humph." She jeered, putting her hands on her hips and staring at the vast intricacies of the high carven ceiling. "Maybe it's just the fact that you're both voiced by the same person."

Immediately their heads snapped to look at her.

"What?!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

Tayla's eyes trailed lazily down from the ceiling, gazing towards them from the corner of her sockets. Her lips pressed together.

"You're both voiced by the same person." She stated simply.

She blinked and she was staring ahead of her again. Her hands still on her hips, leaning forward slightly in a comfortable looking, bored manner.

Instantly both of the blonds were behind her. One light, one dark. One tall, one small.

"Voiced?!" Tamaki asked, outraged. "What do you mean _voiced?!_ My voice is positively unique!"

"Yeah! So is mine!" Edward added, just as livid. "Is your head screwed on right? Voiced by the same person, pah, what a joke."

He started laughing.

Tayla's lip curled up. She was trying not to explode at him, so instead replied calmly.

"Why would I lie about something like that?" But then she let some of her aggression slip through. "And I'm no lunatic, you vertically challenged, pretty-boy."

Edward stopped his laughing. And it looked like anger boiled from his feet up to his forehead. Everyone braced themselves.

Suddenly he snapped.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT YOU COULD SQUASH THEM LIKE A BUG?! YOU'RE NOT SO BIG YOURSELF YOU KNOW!" Edward screeched, flapping his arms about in one of his usual tantrums.

"Come on, Brother." Al ushered embarrassedly as he picked his brother up by the hood of his cloak. Edward's arms still flapped around as though he was trying to take off, as he shrieked profanities towards Tayla.

"COME ON AL! PUT ME DOWN! I CAN TAKE HER!"

"No Ed! She's a girl! Stop it! You're embarrassing us!"

"I don't care if she's a girl! She's got it coming!"

Fizz suddenly appeared by Tayla's side, sweatdropping slightly.

"Heh, excuse us for a minute."

And now she hauled her off to the other end of the corridor, in the background it appeared Al had put Ed down and they were now in a heated argument about whether or not it was right to beat up a defenceless girl.

"Tayla, you nearly cost us everything!" Fizz hissed at her, now that they were out of ear shot of the others. "Did it not occur to you to not mention the fact that they're _supposed_ to be fiction?! I mean! Come on! We're talking to Harry Potter and Tamaki Suou! Bask in it for a while. And if we do wake up from being high for something, at least we had a good hallucination." She smiled.

Tayla sighed.

"Ok." She smiled, but that was all interrupted when they heard a shout from the other end of the corridor.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE WITH MY WATCH!"

Their heads snapped around to see the same evil rat running in their direction, Edward's State watched clamped between its tiny teeth, its chain flaying behind him as it ran.

"STOP THAT RAT!"

As Fizz hissed again at the Manx taboo word, Edward dived at their feet, trying to grab the rat in his hands, but the little creature got away heading for the stairs at the other end of the corridor. And of course, Edward ran after it.

"What the hell is it with thieving rats tonight?" Moaned Fizz as every else followed suit, the Hogwarts students over taking Edward as they knew the School's grounds better. And so Draco-the-Giant-Christmas-Pudding was left to his own devices… sitting there like a numpty.

One flight, two flights, three… the rat ran along the corridor, before disappearing into a bathroom.

Harry, who was in front of everyone else, skidded to a halt, everyone bumping into him in their sudden seize of running. Harry's eyes widened.

"That's the entrance to-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT IT'S THE ENTRACE TO! I WANT MY WATCH BACK!"

Edward ran around everyone else, no one noticing what he was doing until he had vanished inside the girl's bathroom.

"EDWARD!"

"BROTHER!"

Everyone, all twelve of them, crowded into the bathroom after Edward, only to find him with his hand stuck down a grate by the large, decorative sink sat in the middle of the room, his face contorted in concentration.

"GOD DAMNIT!" He moaned, sitting up again, looking exceedingly pissed off. "The rat jumped down there through the grate! But it feels as though it drops for miles! My watch is gone forever; God damn it, Mustang is going to kill me." He started curling and uncurling his fists, as though restraining his anger.

Harry's lips twisted up.

_If the watch was that important…_

He pushed past Edward, who gave him the strangest look and almost shouted at him that there was nothing else he could do, but restrained himself when he saw the reserved look on the scarred teenager.

Harry stood before the sink in the centre of the room, and tilted his head slightly. Imaging the snake on the tap before him was alive; tilting his head made the light of the flames illuminating the room fall upon the engraving at an odd angle, making the snake almost appear like it was moving. And then Harry spoke the words he had spoken three years before, to enter the so-called mythical Chamber.

"_Open up."_

The grates shot forward to cover the floor, and the sink parted into many segments, its top rising up to the ceiling. And before, where the sink had stood as a whole structure, was now a large black hole, dark and ominous, waiting to swallow up any one that dared jump down.

Ed looked over the edge and gulped.

"Well… after you Al." He pushed his brother forward, a sort of conniving look on his face.

Al started panicking.

"WHAT?! WHY ME?!"

"It would make sense." Hermione told him. "You are the biggest, and the heaviest, and if you landed on one of us… you could kill us."

Al let out a sigh, realising the truth, as he stared back over the menacing black pit.

"Well, here goes nothing."

And with that he jumped, wailing as he fell away into the darkness.

Everyone listened, and the notification that he had reached ground, and the pit wasn't indeed an endless abyss, was the clanging of his armour, rattling up to meet their straining ears.

"Who's next?" Harry turned to everyone else, and so, one by one, they all jumped down… screaming as they fell through air as their stomachs nearly came out of their mouths.

They landed in a pile of bones, each of them immediately jumping up to get away from the thought of other people's remains.

Harry still looked reserved, even after that horrible fall.

"This way." He said, and turned to lead them all through a passage where rubble had been cleared to the side.

Eventually they met a large copper door that had turned green with the little oxygen that was present in the subterranean Chamber. Harry said something else in parseltongue, the snakes coming out of what appears to be a sculpture of Salazar Slytherin's mouth shunted outwards, as a long individual snake slithered around the exterior of door.

The door opened up with a loud creak, leading them away from the dingy antechamber, into a rather breath-taking inner Chamber. Lakes of black endless water surrounded the perimeter, with a long stone pathway leading down the middle to the dais, where there stood many menacing snake sculptures and in the middle there was a very strange sight…

Santa Claus was arguing with a short, stout man who looked extremely scruffy and rat-like who was hunched over in a nervous-looking stance.

"You are sure this is it?" Santa Claus hissed.

"Y- Yes, m- my Lord." The rat-like man wheezed back.

If the man dressed as Santa Claus' eyes could have narrowed, they would have.

"You had better be right, Wormtail. My quest for the Stone has already failed once. I do not need such impudence again."

"_The Stone?"_ Ed whispered harshly to Harry and the others. His eyes lit up as he thought, _could it be?_

Edward, being one to rush into things, stepped forward, ruining the fact Santa and Wormtail had not noticed their entrance.

"Hey Santa!" Ed called out; Santa and Wormtail looked up. "I've been a good boy this year! So how about you give me that stone?!" He held out his hand, almost as if he already knew he would get it. How very wrong he was.

"Intruders!" Santa hissed. "Get them Wormtail!"

"Yes, my Lord!" Wormtail replied, pulling his wand from under his robes. "Incarcerous!"

Edward easily dodged the ropes that flew at him, having been used to using such agility in his other battles.

He clapped his hands and placed them to the floor.

The ground around Wormtail rose into a hand and grabbed him, restraining him and thus the use of his wand.

"Impudence." Santa spat sourly. _"Sulise!"_

A giant snake rose up from the water.

"QUICK! EVERYBODY! SHUT YOUR EYES!" Harry bellowed in warning, knowing the Basilisk would kill them if they looked into its eyes.

Everybody did so, leaving Ed utterly defenceless.

"_Get him!"_ Santa cried, obviously in a chorus of hisses as he was talking to the snake in parseltongue.

_Santa wasn't known to speak parseltongue…_

The Basilisk swooped at the elder Elric brother, and everyone held their breaths, unable to see what was happening.

Cautiously, everyone opened their eyes. Expecting to see Edward gone and the Basilisk slinking back into the deep once more. But what they saw was nothing of the sort.

The Basilisk had clamped onto Ed's right arm, its eyes glaring balefully at Edward and no one else. But Edward was not looking at the giant serpent; his eyes were fixed on Santa, a rather smug, yet angered expression contorting his features.

Strenuously, he lifted up his arm, the snake going with it, having clamped onto it with all of its force, and then he flipped the serpent over his head, flinging it into the opposite wall, so that some of the ceiling and wall shuddered as though in an earthquake and rubble fell into the dark water below. The Basilisk fell with it, disappearing back into the watery abyss.

Santa stared at the boy in disbelief.

"How on earth did you escape the bite of the Basilisk?!" He cried in horror.

Ed ripped off the tattered clothing covering his arm, to reveal that his entire arm was metal. Some of the wires were sticking out of the side due to the damage sustained by the Basilisk bite, but Ed bent his elbow, flexed his robotic fingers, there were no veins for the fangs to pierce, no blood for the venom to poison; Ed was smug.

"A metal arm?" Santa sneered. "Very clever… very clever indeed. But it's still not enough to escape what _I_ can do to you."

Ed's mouth pricked slightly.

"It's not like I came especially prepared." His tone had underlying sadness, knowing the true reason why he had his auto-mail arm.

"It doesn't matter if you're not especially prepared!" Santa cried in a hysterical tone, pulling his wand from red suit. "You're still no match for me!"

A jet of green light flew at Edward, but he ducked, clapped his hands and placed his hands on the wet surface beneath him again.

The alchemic charge travelled quickly through the wet surface, its power, like electricity, amplified by the chemical properties of water. A stone hand appeared from the earth under Santa's feet and grabbed him, holding in a vice like grip, disenabling his use of a wand, just like his _elf_ as it were.

"My Lord!" Wormtail bellowed, but of course he was as helpless as his master.

With his struggling, Santa's hood fell off and the snake-like face of Voldemort was revealed.

The members of the Host Club present gasped, they had never seen anyone look so inhuman.

"Voldemort?!" Ron and Neville choked.

"Well done guys." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Jesus, guys, you are slow aren't you?" Tayla chorused.

Suddenly there was the sound of feet running at lightening speed through the puddles behind them.

They all turned and saw nothing. Yet the sounds continued, like bullets rattling off of the walls.

Wormtail looked at Voldemort with a frightened look on his face.

"My Lord." He wheezed in fear.

Voldemort keep swivelling his black irises, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Suddenly the slits widened.

"Yes Wormtail. It is them." He said, his voice hinted with worry. "We have the stone; we can leave Potter and his advocates to their demise by their hands. Come Wormtail."

And with that they disappareated, and the hands that were holding them were now holding nothing but air.

Edward groaned and clapped his hands again, turning his auto-mail back into an arm, as he had transmuted it into a spear to slice their throats open. He then clapped his hands again, returning the ground to as it previously was.

He then turned to look at the ceiling, trying to single out who it was making the noise. But it had stopped; a group of people were now assembled on one of the upper rocks.

Edward's face widened: they were pale white, their skin sparkling dully, and their eyes a mysterious golden elixir colour. He was so taken aback he backed up a few paces, nearly slipping over. They were like no homunculi he had ever laid eyes upon before.

But before he could shout at Al to run, before he could even stutter like a frightened mouse, they leapt from their post, almost floating to land in front of them all.

Now that he saw them up close, he knew he had been wrong. They were definitely _not_ homunculi… they were _beautiful._

"Sorry for intruding like this." The wisest looking one apologized, stepping forward, extending a hand to Edward, who was still frozen to the spot. He appeared to be their leader. "I am Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family." He extended a gestured arm to those beautiful beings assembled behind him.

Edward was lost for words; he just stared at the pale skinned man in front of him.

"What's your name?" Carlisle probed kindly, knowing their appearance to often have this affect on people.

"E- Edward." Edward stuttered. "Edward Elric." He was so surprised he didn't even add his usual '_But you may know me better as 'the FullMetal Alchemist','_ speech.

Carlisle smiled as he tilted his head back to address his family.

"Looks like we have another Edward, Edward."

A young man, who was also equally beautiful, stepped forward. He had a mop of slightly bronze hair atop of his head. He gave a dazzling smile.

"Nice to meet you, Edward."

He took Ed's hand and shook it for him.

"… Hi." Ed murmured, sounding dazed, his eyes still wide, still not quite sure if he was dreaming or not.

Then Harry stepped forward.

"Sorry if I sound rude, but what is your business here?"

Carlisle turned to Harry with that same kindly smile.

"We have come here because Lord Voldemort is posing a threat to our race."

Kyouya raised his eyebrows and burst out.

"_Race?"_ Pausing in his jotting in his familiar notebook.

Carlisle nodded.

"Yes. We are vampires." He extended his hands to his family, who were all smiling kindly. They didn't look thirsty at all… this wasn't a normal vampire family, that was for sure.

"Oh…" Harry gulped, sweat starting to form on his brow, he had only heard bad things about vampires. "Vampires…"

Carlisle only smiled kindly again.

"Don't worry, we don't eat humans. We're… _vegetarians_, in human terms; we only drink animal blood. We pose no harm to you.

Everyone in the Chamber visible relaxed; Carlisle continued.

"If Voldemort gains control of the magical world again, he will seek to gain the Vampires' trust. We can not allow that, because we are more than sure that the Volturi, our _leaders_ as it were, would accept his offer. But not out of submissiveness, oh far from that, they would do it only to seek more power. And we do not wish to be dragged into a war again; we are pacifists, unless fighting is the only option.

Everyone broke into their own weird gestures. Some sighed, relieved these beings were pacifists. Others grinned uneasily, these _Volturi_ didn't sound too friendly.

"Allow me to introduce you to the rest of my family." Carlisle offered, extending his hand back to them again. They all stepped forward obediently. "This is Esme, my wife."

He put his hands on the shoulders of the eldest woman among them, and even though she appeared to be eldest of them all she was still profoundly beautiful.

"And this is Alice and Jasper." He gestured to the girl with short spiky black her, and the other slightly blonde headed male, though his hair was darker, more a light brown, who looked like he was in pain.

"And these two are Emmett and Rosalie." He finally pointed to the monster of a man that was stood at the end of their group and the blonde haired woman whom the rest of them were sure was a supermodel.

They all ushered.

"Nice to meet you."

Before their audience broke out into smiles of welcome and started ushering their greetings. It was at this moment their group dispersed and went to socialise with the rest of their now twenty strong group.

But it then became apparent that something was wrong.

The enticing aroma of blood danced on the air; most of them had cut themselves when they landed after jumping down the hole into the anti-Chamber.

To stop themselves attacking, they all leapt back onto the ledge on the upper rock with ease. Such blood-spill would be hard for any vegetarian vampire to ignore.

"You… You…!" Tayla, Sinead and Fizz stuttered, shocked and almost disgusted. Trying to say that they were frightened of the vampires.

Edward smirked. He thought they were entranced by his appearance, as other girls often were.

"Yes. It is me. Edward Cullen, the _vampire._ Most admired person in the whole entire world."

"Hey!"

Suddenly Zac Efron stepped out from one of the opening in the Basilisk's tunnel.

"No one here is allowed to be more adored than me!"

Everyone turned to look at the teen sensation, the girls immediately cringing in disgust at the sound of his voice.

"Well is that so?"

Edward leapt down from his perch on one of the upper rocks, the corners his mouth twitching up to bare his teeth. He was hunched over into a crouch, looking ready to rip Efron to pieces.

"This is my territory." He hissed, stepping closer to the brunet, almost like he was trying to threaten him. "I'm the only Gary-Stu that's allowed to be in this school."

Zac raised his eyebrows, raising his hands almost like he was surrendering.

"Well _sorry."_ He said almost sarcastically, raising his eyebrows. "I didn't know this place was full of disco balls."

"What did you call me?!"

Emmett and Jasper leapt down, grabbing their brother by his upper arms, restraining him from tearing Zac to pieces.

Zac Efron changed his stance, like he was readying himself for a fight.

"Look at you!" He spat. Edward tried to lunge forward again, but was restrained by his brothers. "Your skin is sparkling in the flames lighting this place. What kind of man sparkles?"

"The _perfect_ man!" Edward retorted, a snarl ripping at the back of his throat.

"Ha! You call yourself a man." Efron mumbled insulting, bending his arm as though examining his muscles admiring.

"I'm a vampire! Far better than any _mortal."_ Edward smirked, no longer pulling against his brothers' hold.

Zac's head snapped up.

"What did you just say?" Zac asked, wide-eyed.

"I said I'm better than you!" Edward answered back. "Everyone knows immortal Gary-Stu's have way more fangirl's than mortal Gary-Stu's, such as yourself."

"Do you want to _go?"_ Zac growled, taking up his fighting stance again.

"Bring it on _Fragile."_

"Right back at ya', _Sparkly."_

The two of the leapt at each other, Emmett and Jasper no longer being able to hold Edward; everyone watching didn't take their eyes off of them.

Tayla huffed and rolled her eyes, becoming tired of this meaningless battle already. She glanced to her side to see that Hermione was far to engrossed in watching the Gary-Stu's fight to notice her wand sticking out of the side of her robes' pocket; it seemed she had been bewitched by the Gary-Stu's spell, as her eyes had widened and she was looking on at them dashing around, no doubt slowed down into romantic slow motion in her mind's eye, with uncondensed mushiness.

Tayla could stand this no longer.

In one swift motion she pulled the wand from Hermione's pocket and flicked it towards the battle-engaged Gary-Stus, yelling.

"Unda Contributor!"

Zac Efron stood stock still in his run, looking like a human statue for a second before disintegrating into a blob of floating water and falling to the floor with a splatter.

Edward had, had his arms extended to grab hold of him, but now found himself grabbing mind air as he skidded in the puddle of water that Zac Efron had become. Effortlessly, however, he regained his balance and leapt back up onto his rock and sat crouched, glaring at the now spread out patch of water with seeming hatred.

Everyone's eyes but his now slowly turned to look at Tayla, who was stood, tensed up, with her fists balled up around Hermione's wand. She looked extremely pissed off.

Hermione snatched her wand back.

"What on Earth was that?!" She screeched, obviously annoyed at the fact her wand had been stolen.

"I was overcrowded by Gary Stus." Tayla grumbled agitatedly, turning away from them and crossing her arms as though she was sulking.

"No! I mean! How did you perform that spell and aim it so well?!"

Tayla shrugged.

"I just had a gut feeling, a very pissed off gut feeling, and went with it. Besides… Zac Efron _is_ a _puddle."_

"B-But!" She heard Ron stutter. "Muggles can't perform magic!"

"She's not a muggle."

Everyone's heads snapped to look at the new person: a young woman who looked about twenty had appeared among them, her hair was short and she had mysterious symbols carved into the side of her face, she was smiling gently.

"Who the hell are you?!" Ron asked, after almost having jumped out his skin.

Harry elbowed him in the side as though he was stupid.

"Ron! You idiot! Don't you recognize her?! That's Reily!"

"Reily?!" Ron exclaimed, looking from Harry to the woman with a lost look on his face. "That's not Reily!"

"Yes it is Ron!"

"But! She's tall! Reily is smaller than us! And she has long hair and she doesn't have weird markings etched into the side of her face!"

Harry let out a sigh and face-palmed himself.

But Tayla… Tayla had stepped forward, her eyes narrowing.

Everyone watched her confusedly, as she started muttering quietly.

"Love can be hateful, war can be peaceful by death, yet life is worth the pain as long as you have family…" Tayla's eyes widened as she realised what she had just done, and this was when she started panicking. "WHY THE HELL CAN I READ THAT?!"

Reily laughed.

"Because, like I said, you're not a muggle."

Tayla just panicked more.

"If I'm not muggle then what am I?!"

"You're a Varin."

"I'm a _WHAT?!"_

"It seems that memory charm is still working well…" She laughed quietly again.

"A memory _what?!_ What the hell are you talking about?!"

"You're a Varin, Tayla." She explained; Tayla looked at her sceptically.

"A _Varin?" _She asked back. "What the hell is a _Varin?"_

"Varins are immortal, unnaturally fast, changelings that thirst for the hunt and blood. We're born a human, but have magic in our blood, and as vicious and unmerciful as we sound, we have the heart of any human. We hunt and fight for our survival, or at least _you did…_ And though we are immortal, we may still die, but only if it is another of our kind who kills us. So, in theory, we appear to be ageless, only wishing to show off our age if we wish, the rest of the time we just uphold glamours, as you are doing now."

Tayla narrowed a suspicious and confused eye at the woman explaining her past and heritage to her.

"You transformed around over 1.4 and a half millionyears ago, and had your memory reverted 50 thousand years ago. But I'm sure you would still grow claws or talons when you get angry, and your teeth would also elongate during times of great infuriated emotion. Or if you feel frustrated or slightly annoyed, you have the sudden urge to sleep upside down, not sleep at all, or, in rare cases… you have the desperate urge to go on a sexually explicit rampage… though, you haven't seen Stanley in years."

"Who?" Tayla asked.

"Stanley. He's your mate."

Tayla's eyebrows rose, her eyeballs almost popping out their sockets.

"… I… have a… _mate?"_ The last word slid off of her tongue as though it didn't belong there.

Reily nodded.

"As well as children."

"I have… _ch-_ _children?!"_ She stuttered.

Reily sighed; this was obviously a huge shock to her, considering she didn't remember any of this…

"Yes, you have a son called Eytan, along with two other sons whom you named Lucius and Leo. You also had a daughter called Stephanie, but sadly, she and Leo passed away some time ago."

Tayla felt a pang of loss. It was horrible because she couldn't remember them. But she knew somewhere deep down that Reily was telling the truth.

"I forgot to mention, Varins also have a unique power attributed to each individual person, and we also have our animal forms."

Tayla was becoming more and more lost with each minute.

"I, for example, am Mother Nature. I control all that is nature and everything that is associated with it; I have the power of creation and destruction."

"So Global Warming is your fault!" Tamaki suddenly burst out.

Reily rolled her eyes, as though bored by the mere sound of Tamaki's voice.

"No. That is the humans' fault, I am trying my best to counteract it, but even _I_ am not strong enough to stop a global disaster." She sneered slightly. "I can bring the world to its knees, but I can not stop the world creating its own downfall." She closed her eyes, as though she was slightly smug about her powers. "No matter how much I want to, I can not stop something that they are purposefully doing, even if it's killing them, because that would be manipulating free will… and unfortunately, that is something I can not alter, and, frankly, I'm not that merciful."

Tamaki gawped at her words; Reily turned back to Tayla.

"As I was saying, I am Mother Nature, and my animal form is a Nundu…" She was missing out her other form, but it did not matter for now because Tayla could not remember anything.

"A leopard type creature?" Tayla asked, remembering that name from somewhere, she just couldn't remember where.

"That's correct. Maybe it's coming back to you." A smile slipped onto her lips, she looked a lot nicer when she smiled. "Your animal form is a Red Falcon, and your power is the ability to see the Aura's, your grandson inherited certain factors of your powers."

Tayla's mouth dropped open.

_H- Had she just s- said?_

"Gr- Grandson?"

"Yes, you have had children and they, in turn, have had children of their own, making you, in simpler words, a Grandmother."

"B- But!" She stuttered. "I'm too young to be a Grandmother!"

"Are you?" Reily asked sceptically. "You think being one and a half million years old is too young to be a Grandmother?"

"I'm… I'm years one and a half million yearsold?!"

Reily leant a little closer.

"Glamours, remember?"

Tayla put a hand on her forehead; this was too much to take in. She was 1.5 million years old, she had children _and_ grandchildren?! What the hell?! This was all too much.

"And _you…"_ She turned on Hermione, who suddenly stifled. "I know you're Cedric's mate, but turning my son into a Christmas Pudding?! Hermione, I thought you knew better?"

Hermione shrunk down a little, obviously intimidated by Reily.

"I'm sorry, Reily! He was just annoying us all! Besides! Harry didn't seem to care either!"

Reily rounded on Harry.

"Harry!" She hissed, Harry stepped forward slightly, his head bowed. "Why didn't you help your brother?!"

Harry seemed slightly scared, but he knew the full fury of his mother's rage.

"I'm sorry, Mum." He mumbled quietly, as though he was sorry. "I just thought it was really funny…" He bit his lip, trying not to laugh.

"Well it's not! And now I can't get the damned spell off of him! I can't even change him with glamours! And he can't transform! Once I get back from your fathers' I'm most likely going to kill you both, just to be warned." She winked, and suddenly disappeared, obviously having disapparated.

Tayla snapped out of her stupor.

"HEY!" She called, running to stand where Reily had just been, she glaring up at the ceiling, her eyes had lightened to light sapphires instead of their usual murky sea-blue, meaning she was obviously pissed off and her true form was starting to take hold of her. She started screaming her lungs out. "STORMBLADE! GET BACK HERE NOW! I WANT TO KNOW WHO MY GRANDSON IS!"

"Well that's not hard." She heard Harry leer.

Anger had now taken hold of her. In a blur she sped from were she was and in the next second had Harry by the collar of his shirt, seemingly choking him.

"You know Harry… seeing as I'm a Varin I could kill you before your mother can." She sneered, Harry gulped. "So, are you going to tell me who my dearest grandchild is? Or am I going to have to hurt you first?"

"Ok, ok!" He surrendered; Tayla did not release her grip. "It's Draco! It's Draco, ok?!"

Tayla dropped him, her eyes widening. She dropped Harry as she began stuttering.

"D- Draco?" Harry nodded, cowering beneath the grip she had around his robes. Anger slowly seeped into Tayla's features. "You mean to tell me… I've been stood right next to my _grandchild_ this entire time?! And he is now a _CHRISTMAS PUDDING?!_ Oh ho! Heads are going to roll!_"_

Tayla looked about ready to leap at Hermione, who had a rather nervous look on her face, when there was a loud bang and the entrance of the Chamber flew forward, loud splashing of rocks landing in the water surrounding the large wet pathway they were stood on, the round green copper door that had been encased in the rock fell to the floor, a loud echoing metallic clang ricocheting around the Chamber.

From the newly formed gap in the wall, an army of identically dressed men ran into the Chamber, all of them armed with a handgun, pointing them at random spot in the cave, in case anything where to appear and attack them.

They were a-lined on either side of the long pathway, and now, down the middle, walked a group of smartly dressed people, apart from one… who looked slightly crazy.

This man's hair was black and ruffled, his eyes slightly too wide, and he walked slightly hunched over. He had to be either a lunatic or a genius, they were all sure of it.

Beside him was a man who had a cold exterior, a mop of brown hair sat upon his head. He looked cold and calculating, like he was hiding something.

The rest of the group appeared all to be their seniors, some of them with grey hair. And behind them all, cowering slightly, was a blonde girl, who refused to take her eyes of brunet man previously mentioned, like she was highly protective, or possessive of him.

Their footsteps echoed around the Chamber until they came to a complete stop in front of the group that was gathered in the centre; Tayla had respectively retrained herself from ripping Hermione to shreds upon the arrival of this new group.

The crazy looking man rolled back the sleeve on his left arm to reveal a dark mark. He pressed his index finger to it, and before anyone could even blink, a horde of Death Eaters appeared from smoke at the top of the stairs.

The man smirked.

"So interesting what some make-up and research can do." He mused.

The others looked around themselves, what on Earth where they doing?

And then Voldemort rematerialized on the dais in front of them. Still clutching the ring protectively in his hand, he gazed up on the scene with obviously loathing. _Which Death Eater had called him back to this futile place?_

The brunet turned to the girl behind him, an obviously tedious, fake caring smile on his face; inside he obviously loathed the sight of her.

"Misa, Honey." He forced through his teeth, in an obviously swooning way. It was sickening to watch. "Can you tell us Voldemort's real name?"

The blonde smiled up at the brunet, who yet again returned the affection with a forced expression. She stepped forward, and her eyes flashed red, adopting the Shinigami eyes which she had given up half of her life-span to obtain, and she stared up at Voldemort on the dais intently.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle." She smiled.

Light pulled her into his arms, as Harry muttered.

"_I_ could have told them that." As he rolled his eyes slightly at the mushiness of this scene.

"Thanks Misa."

The way he had to force himself to be so nice was stomach churning; it was just _so_ uncomfortable to watch.

Voldemort looked outraged.

"NO!"

He then started hissing profanities in parseltongue, and suddenly the great serpent that had previously attacked Edward burst out of the lake next to them, swooped over the platform everyone was stood on, and swallowed Misa whole.

Light looked so relieved that the stupid Mary Sue was gone that he had tears in his eyes; Misa was no longer needed, her primary purpose, uncovering Voldemort's true identity, had been served (so now Light couldn't care what happened to her).

Overhead Edward muttered.

"Thank God she's gone. This aint no place for Mary Sues."

Tayla just shrugged.

_Stupid Mary Sues…_

"Sulise needed her dinner anyway." She yawned, covering her mouth, not looking particularly bothered that someone had just been eaten by the Basilisk.

L rolled his eyes and looked slightly bored.

"Now that, that wasteful expense is over, can we get this over and done with?" He slurred, handing Light the Death Note.

The three girls' eyes widened.

"B- But L!"

He turned with a curious look on his face, hunching over slightly.

"Yes?"

"W- Why are you giving the Death Note to Light?!"

"Because that's what we came here to do?" He asked, slightly confused. "To kill Lord Voldemort. Why? Do you have any objections as to why his life should be spared? You should know he's killed thousands of innocent magical folk and muggles-"

"No, no!" Tayla exclaimed. "We know he's guilty! We- … We were just wondering why you gave the Death Note to Kira-"

She slapped her hands over her mouth.

"I always knew Light was Kira." L replied, with a slightly smug smirk on his face.

"Then!" Sinead exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "Then why the hell haven't you detained and killed him?!"

L's eyes turned delicate, almost like a nerve had been struck.

"Why would I want to kill my love?"

Everyone's eyes widened.

"L- Love?" They all gawped, their mouths falling open.

"Yes! Light is my love! Why does everyone find that so hard to accept?!"

Everyone looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Is it really that much of a shock?" Light asked, now leaning against L slightly. "What do you think we did the whole time we were chained together?"

The three girls immediately started stuttering nervously, until Tayla eventually managed to struggle out.

"No comment."

Light smirked slightly.

"Well what you're thinking is probably true."

He turned and skimmed his lips over L's. Everyone visibly twitched.

Tayla put a hand on her forehead and let out an embarrassed sigh, closing her eyes to avoid everyone looking at her.

"Well I can't say I'm not pleased."

She opened her eyes to see Light wink in her direction, before turning swiftly around to face the Santa Claus out-fit clad Voldemort, pulling a pen from his top pocket. He popped open the Death Note and scribbled 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' in his elegant cursive, before snapping the book shut and glaring deviously up at Voldemort with blood red eyes.

The clock started ticking:

1 2 3…

Everyone other than the Japanese Police Department, Fizz, Sinead and Tayla stared around each other. _All he did was write his name in a book…_

15 16 17…

Thoughts raced through their minds, as their eyes now fixed upon those who knew what was going to happen in another 20 seconds or so. Tamaki's eyes darted between each person, he was sweating, nervous because he had no idea what was going on. The twins were rocking back and forth on their heels, shrugging when they caught each other's eye, and then going back to rocking obliviously.

The Elric brothers had anxious expressions on their faces; Al's face was as tense as a suit of armour's could be; Edward's teeth were clamped over his bottom lip strenuously, his eyes were not leaving Voldemort, as though he could sense something morally wrong was about to take place.

The Cullens looked on impartially, rather relieved they did not have to take care of Voldemort themselves, and also curious, partially worried, as to whether this mysterious book held any threat to their race.

The Hogwarts students looked on anxiously, hoping this would finally end the chaos that Voldemort had caused them over the years. If not… then they would just have to find another way to kill him.

And finally there was Kyouya, who appeared to be the only relaxed uninformed being in the Chamber, for he was not concerned about the Death Note, but more preoccupied with the assembled Japanese Police Department and whether his Father had anything to with their matter of intervention in this case. But then again, why would his Father take the matters of his youngest son, most un-entitled to his wealth and stature, into his own hands?

28 29 30…

A cold, calculating laugh broke through the anticipating silence, echoing off of the ragged slippery walls of the Chamber. But still, no one dropped their act of waiting.

"Do you really think by just writing down the Dark Lord's name you can condemn him?" Chimed one of the Death Eaters mockingly.

35…

Light sneered.

"You underestimate Kira."

"This _Kira_ holds nothing to the Dark Lord!"

"But that is the point."

36…

The Death Eaters' eyes widened. One went to open their mouth, but was silenced as their festive looking master raised his hand.

"What is it you mean: _that is the point?"_

"I am not a murderer." Light stated simply.

37…

The Dark Lord's facial features stretched into a humoured expression. He laughed as he spoke.

"Of course you're not." He sneered derogatively. "For you have not yet killed me!" A few Death Eaters laughed in his wake. "What is it you believe you are, then?" He seemed to float as he closed the distance between himself and Light, walking down the steps and along the pathway towards him with menacing steps. His Death Eaters did not move to guard him.

38…

Voldemort peered at the crimson eyes through snake-like slits.

"What do you believe you are? The one who hold a meaningless piece of paper and stands with the aura of a non-existent God before me?! The one who believes he can defeat me! The Dark Lord!"

39…

Light's lips spread over his teeth, producing a twisted grin of triumph. His blood red eyes clotted, the colour becoming more concentrated, sparkling darkly from dementia; he was not threatened by the Dark Lord's boasting. In fact, he saw it as more reason to commit him to death. More than one sin stained this man, condemning him to his righteous end. And what convicted him was perhaps one of the worst sins of all: vanity.

"Justice."

_40._

The world stopped. The Chamber's occupants all watched on in amazement as Voldemort clutched at his chest, his slit-like eyes wide blank holes as he collapsed to his knees, screeching in agony. The walls around them erupted in screams, as though more of Voldemort's soul lived on beyond them and they too were howling in agony, calling out to their original creator, holder, for help, but only suffered with him.

Finally, after a prolonged moment, Voldemort fell dead at Light's feet, symbolizing submittance to Kira, the God of the new world.

His limbs went limp once the muscles stopped contracting in pain, and when the pale, ghostly hand fell lifeless, a small golden band rolled from its grasp and out across the saturated floor.

Many gasps of shock issued from the horde of Death Eaters who were stood where their master had left them.

"The Dark Lord is dead!" One exclaimed.

"This can not be!" Another one cried.

But overall, the shrieks of a woman could be heard, as a wild haired woman pushed her way through to the front of the crowd in desperation. Her wailing made it seem like her world had ended or she had at least been stabbed in the heart with a rusty dagger.

"Master!"

Arms had grabbed hold of her and were pulling her back.

"Bella! No!"

She resisted.

"Master!"

Those who were armed with wands now saw this as a fit time to attack the disorientated Death Eaters.

"Expelliarmus!"

Red beams of light flew towards the chaotic group, who then realised they were under fire, threw up shields and managed to apparate out of there. Bellatrix being pulled away by side-along apparition, her final jest being reaching out to her in Master in obvious need, before being pulled away never to lay eyes upon him again.

It was then the cheering starting, everyone started high-fiving or hugging each other; the Japanese Police Department started their calm and organised retreat, L nodding to Kyouya as they left, obviously telling him that his Father had, indeed, had some involvement in this, and that he actually did care. Kyouya was left dumb-struck.

Everyone was celebrating. Everyone… except for Edward.

Edward had walked forward in silence. His eyes fixated on something on the floor. Al noticed his brother's solemn attitude; surely he should be happy at the defeat of their enemy?

"Brother?" Al asked. But his brother kept walking.

Soon he was stood over what he was looking at. He knelt down and picked it up between thumb and forefinger, examining it closely with his eyes. Then a slight frown slipped onto his face, everyone by now had stopped celebrating and where watching him intently.

Fizz suddenly gasped.

"My Mum's ring!"

She ran forward to retrieve the present that had been searching for this entire time, just as Edward threw it up in the air and snatched it back into his palm. His eyes were closed, and a blue spark emitted from his hand, and when he opened his palm there was but a golden band sitting there, the stones having been destroyed.

Everyone looked on wide-eyed. But Fizz turned that pale green colour she had done before, falling into shock before bursting out.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE!?"

Al added on.

"Brother? What have you done?"

Edward looked disappointed. The ring dropped from his hand back onto the wet floor of the Chamber, Fizz ran and fell to her knees, examining the ring for any trace of the rubies she had purchased for £200.

"It was just Red Water, Al." Ed said quietly, looking as though he had just lost another limb. "It wasn't the real thing. And all fakes need to be destroyed so they can't be used by idiots such as Voldemort." He looked at the floor in disgust.

"Brother…"

"It doesn't matter, Al." Edward said sadly, walking back to his armour-brother's side. "Come on, let's go."

They made to leave, and re-embark on their search for the stone, when Harry broke the pitiful silence.

"WAIT!"

The Elric brothers stopped, staring at Harry as though he had just exploded.

"I know how to get the Philosopher's stone." Harry admitted guiltily. He knew he should have told them about it sooner, but he had been afraid. But now seeing how much they wanted it… he couldn't deny them what they were so desperately searching for.

Edward's eyes widened, and his face lit up.

He ran over to Harry, and took his hands in his, his expression so desperate that you would have thought this his life depended on this information.

Harry took a deep breath.

"To obtain the stone you have to not want to use it."

Edward let go of Harry's hands. His eyes widening. He backed off a few paces. His eyes widening even more, as though he couldn't believe his ears. Al looked on helplessly.

Edward was shaking his head as he edged backwards, his entire body was shaking.

"You mean, that in order to get our hands on the Philosopher's Stone we have to _not_ want it?!" Edward cried, outraged, pulling at his hair. "But that's impossible! How are we supposed to _not_ want it?! It's _everything!_ It's all we want! All we need!

He sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He crouched down, his hands grabbing desperately at the damp floor; he pressed his forehead to the cold wet surface.

"I knew it." He choked quietly. "I knew it was hopeless. We're going to be stuck like this forever Al."

Al stepped forward.

"Don't say that brother, there's still hope-"

"No there isn't!" Edward sat up sharply.

"You know." Harry cut in. "One can obtain the Philosopher's Stone by not wanting to use it for his own purposes." He slid his hand into his trouser pocket subtly. "I have never heard anything mentioned about obtaining it by not wanting to use it yourself, but to give it to help out someone who is in desperate need of it…"

He pulled his hand from his pocket and in his palm sat the shiny, rusty stone, its surface flickering between amber and red in the light of the flames in the stone serpents' mouths.

Edward walked back to Harry slowly, ever so slowly, like he was moving through liquid, like this was a dream, and as soon as he touched that stone he would wake up, his quest still many long days and nights away from him.

Harry held out the stone, and placed it gently into Edward's hands. The stone glowed brightly, reacting to Ed because he was an alchemist. Edward's eyes widened as the stone went back to being just the shiny stone that had previous been sat in Harry's hand.

"This is it…" He murmured, breathlessly. Suddenly, he was jubilant. "THIS IS IT, AL! THIS IS IT! AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL ANYONE TO GET IT EITHER! Well…" He turned to look at Voldemort's body and then turned back to celebrating. "But this is it, Al! This is really it!"

Al laughed. It was obvious that if he could smile he would be grinning widely, perhaps the biggest smile he had never really had the chance to smile.

Edward then proceeded to draw an unfamiliar circle on the ground.

His features became plain as he tossed the stone onto the chalk drawing he had made. Once it touched the chalk, recognising an alchemic transmutation circle, it glowed and the chalk outlines were illuminated in red, also glowing, as the stone rose into the air, hovering high above the circle.

The circle was now charged with the properties of the Philosopher's Stone. There was no longer any need for equivalent exchange. In effect, anything was possible, and if this worked: everything they believed to be the only truth rule in life was a lie.

It was time to get back what they had been searching for, for so many years.

Ed discarded his red cloak, and the black shirt underneath it, he then rolled up his trousers above his knees, so the full extend of his sacrifice to bring their mother back was on show.

Edward then clapped his hands and turned his auto-mail into the familiar spear they had all seen before. He then dragged the edge lightly across his cheek, drawing blood. Everyone else hissed or cringed at the idea of pain, but Edward didn't seem bothered at all. He transformed his arm back to normal and then took the fingers of his human hand and dragged the tip of them over his injured cheek, bloodying them. He then drew circles identical to the one that was glowing before him on his auto-mail limbs with his own blood; it was then turned to his brother, his face indifferent.

"Al." He said, his lips trembling.

"Yes, Brother?" Al replied, unnerved by his brother's expression, he almost looked depressed.

"I'm going first, to make sure it's safe." Then his trembling lips became too much and he clamped his teeth over them to make them stop. Tears welled in his eyes, he looked deeply distressed. "If- If…" He managed, calming down. "If something goes wrong. Don't attempt to transmute your body back. Destroy the Stone."

"Don't say that, Brother. Everything should be fine. We have the Philosopher's St-"

"Listen to me, Alphonze!" He shouted, closing his eyes, tears running over his cheeks. His fists were clenched, his entire body was shaking again. "We don't know what we're dealing with here. For all that we know, this might not work, and I might lose my life in the process." Everyone around them suddenly felt solemn. "But if I do, I want you to carry on. I want you to find some other way of getting your body back. We've worked too hard for you to just give it all up." He cracked an uneasy smile.

"If you think you may lose your life by doing this, then why are you doing it Brother?" Al asked; the tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

"Because." Ed smiled. "We have to try. Life is about trying, and failing, and trying again, and carrying on until you succeed." Another tear spilled over his cheek. His voice was shaking. "That's what life is about… its just one big _try._ And as we strive to become better, with love, the things around us also strive to improve. That is why the world is always changing. Lead will always be lead until its purpose is served, and once lead is no longer useful that is when it will become gold, and you will always be Al until your purpose is served. It's another rule of alchemy, remember?_"_ And finally a large smile spread over Ed's face, it was a serene smile, like he knew that if something was to go wrong, everything would be ok. "Well… see you on the other side, Al… heh, or maybe not."

"Brother!" Al leapt to stop him; he didn't want to lose him too.

But it was too late; Ed had slipped sideways into the circle whilst clapping hands. His placed them to his chest, and the last thing anyone saw was his surprised expression peering at Al as the strange feeling that ran through his body before he was engulfed by a bright blue light.

Everyone had to cover their eyes from the intensity of the light that was created by the reaction of the transmutation circle.

As quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished and everyone opened their eyes and gasped.

Edward was lying on the ground, knocked out cold. Everyone ran to him, calling out his name, trying to gauge a reaction, to be sure he was still in the living world with them.

Al was there faster than any one else, shaking his brother and pleading desperately.

"Brother! Come on, Brother! Wake up, please! You can't leave me!" He begged.

Edward's eyelids flickered delicately, as gently as a butterfly's wings, before opening slowly. He stared widely at the many faces peering down at him with worried and anxious expressions. His eyes then flickered weakly to the metal face of his brother, he smiled gently.

"I saw it again, Al." He said quietly. Al listened, he didn't pry, just listened. "The Gate; I saw it."

His eyes then trailed down to his hands, where the Philosopher's Stone was laying between his palms, glowing gently in the light of Snake's flambeaux.

Edward snapped to attention, his eyes even wider than they had been when first awoke, but now it was for different reasons. He held his right arm out in front of it, just staring at it wide eyed as he moved it and flipped his palm over and back over again.

_Skin._ His arm. It was back.

Edward's face cracked into a glorious smile, as though it was the first time the Sun had shone on his face.

"My arm!" He cheered, he looked up at all the smiling faces, before darting back to looking at his leg, which was also flesh and also very much back on his body. "The Gate!" He exclaimed. "They gave me back my limbs! I remember now!"

Everyone continued to smile; this was fantastic.

He lifted the precious stone up in his palms, staring at it as though it were a deity he ought to bow down to.

"It works." He mumbled quietly in awe, just staring at. "Equivalent exchange… means nothing." He whispered.

All that he had known… was a lie.

Or was that so? As those that had been sacrificed to make this stone _were_ the equivalent exchange, but he didn't want to think about that. In the state that their souls were in now, the only way to justify the people's whose souls were locked inside the Stone was by putting their souls to good use, by changing circumstances, by saving lives.

Edward's cheek was still bleeding, so he once again trailed his fingers through the blood dripping down his cheek and began to draw transmutation circles onto his brother's armour, on his arms and legs, where his head should be, where his heart should have been beating in his chest. He then clapped his hands and altered the circle to resemble those he had drawn upon his brother. It appeared different transmutation circles were needed for changing, or bringing back, different things.

He then looked up at his brother, as though savouring this as the last time he would look up at him. He would finally be taller than him… or at least he hoped.

"Well, Al." He said, as a feeling of serenity flowed over him. "This is it."

Al nodded.

"Now or never, Brother."

Ed nodded back and extended his new limb to the circle. Al obeyed, turned around, and paced to the middle of it.

Ed's face had fallen indifferent again, as he tossed the stone onto the chalk outlines again. It glowed and floated up, as it had done before. He took one last look at his brother who nodded, before he clapped his hand and closed his eyes… this time prepared for the blinding light that was to be caused by the transmutation.

Everyone had to shield their eyes again and hope for the best.

When the light finally did fade away, what they opened their eyes to see brought tears of joy to their eyes.

A 10 year old Alphonze Elric was being crushed in the arms of his elder brother, both of them crying their eyes out in complete joy.

Al's body had been taken into the Gate as a 10 year old… so it only seemed fit for it to return to the world that way.

The Elric Brothers continued crying, and gripping onto each other as though if they were to let go the other would disappear into thin air, and be lost forever as some mad side-effect or punishment for the sin of using the Stone…

"We did it, Al." Edward soothed, running a hand through his brother's hair. He had hair… that was amazing. "Stop crying now, it's all over. It's over, Al."

"Then why are you crying, Brother?" Al choked, continuing to sob.

Edward couldn't find an answer, but continued to cry into his Brother's hair, as he cried into his chest.

_He was finally taller than him._

They left them to it. So much joy was probably overwhelming for boys of such a young age, for those who had lost so much and finally got a small piece of it back. There was hope on the horizon.

Eventually the sobs stopped, and only sniffles ran out as they breathed. All was quiet; no one had spoken since Al's return.

Ed ran his fingers through his Brother's hair again.

"We can do it, Al." He said quietly, knowing his Brother was thinking the same thing. "We can bring her back. If we can bring back my limbs and your body, surely we can bring back her soul. We have the Stone, it's possible, Al. It's all right here." He lifted up his other hand as Al finally pulled himself away from his Brother's chest to stare at the red Stone sat in his brother's left hand.

The Elric Brothers looked up at each other and gave one nod, before running out to the circumference of the circle and clapping their hands, changing the array to something so complex it was hard to gather how boys of such youth understood what it meant.

"That should do it." Ed said, his face hard, like he still doubted everything he was seeing.

Al nodded at his Brother again before a voice unfamiliar to everyone rang out over the Chamber.

"Stop right where you are, FullMetal."

Everyone's heads turned to see a very displeased looking man standing under the threshold of the Chamber. He was dressed in Military uniform, and didn't look like someone to be messed with. He was wearing white gloves similar to the one's Edward had been wearing previously, only his had transmutation circles drawn on them, the array associated with those that create fire.

Edward straightened up, his face looking plain, almost… disappointed.

"Coronal Mustang." He saluted, greeting his higher officer; his was voice low. He had been caught. They were going to be stopped before they could do what was now possible, that hadn't been all of those years ago.

"You can't do it, FullMetal." Coronal Mustang told him, almost regretfully. "Human Transmutation is against the law, what you have done here today has already breached those rules. The Stone is also the property of the Military."

Ed stayed strong.

"You can have the Stone, Coronal." Mustang's eyes widened, he never thought he would say that. Ed suddenly snapped, feeling like what was right there in his hands was being pulled away from him. "Just let us bring our Mother back!"

Mustang stiffened. He didn't know what to do. It was all that these boys wanted. They had defied logic, they had gotten Ed's limbs back, Al's body back, and now he was going to deny them the one last thing that they wanted. Where was the justice in that?

But then another voice caught Roy's attention, it was kinder, sweeter… innocent.

"Please Coronal Mustang." Tayla said pleadingly, her eyes going large. "It's Christmas."

Everyone looked up at the Coronal with pleading eyes, no ones was more pleading than the Elric brothers, they were hoping with all that they had that the Coronal would grant them this one wish, and allow them to bring their mother back to life.

Roy Mustang rolled his eyes slightly. He was always a sucker for kids. He thought it over, it was what they had been searching for… and now they had their hands on it, and if he let them use it as they wished, maybe they would hand it over to the Military and let them use it aiding the peace, and perhaps ridding them of those rather bothersome homunculi…

"Ok FullMetal." Roy said, rather begrudgingly. "But if it goes wrong, and another homunculus is born on your account, you're the one that's going to have to deal with it."

Edward nodded, a huge smile spreading across his face. He could deal with another homunculus, all he wanted was the opportunity to try, and seeing as he had been able to get his arm and leg back, and Al's body back, and now that he had the permission to do so, he believed there was no longer any boundaries between himself and the angels of heaven, where his mother was; himself and God; creating life, and ultimately, taking it away.

"So…" Tayla stepped forward, offering to help. "What do we need to make a human being?"

She remembered the basics: Water, Carbon, Fluorine, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Lime…

But she knew she wasn't completely certain, and she didn't want this to go wrong for them.

Edward pulled out his trusty book, and started reading out its magic ingredients to the rest of the group, all of whom were willing to help him get his mother back. Especially Tamaki, considering how he already knew how it felt to lose his mother. He would help him, even if he wasn't his long lost brother.

Ed read aloud the contents of the page:

"The average adult contains about 6.7 x 1027 atoms and is composed of 60 chemical elements: 20kg Carbon, 4l Ammonia, 1.5kg Lime, 800g Phosphorus, 150g Potassium Nitrate, 80g Sulphur, 7.5g Fluorine, 5g Iron, 3g Silicon, 43kg Oxygen, 7kg Hydrogen, (35l Water), 1.8kg Nitrogen, 1kg Calcium, 10g Sodium, 9.5g Chlorine, (250g Salt), 1.9g Magnesium, 0.23g Zinc, 0.1g Silicon, 0.068g Rubidium, 0.032g Strontium, 0.026g Bromine, 0.012g Lead, 0.0072g Copper, 0.006g Aluminium, 0.005g Cadmium, 0.004g Cerium, 0.0022g Barium, 0.002g Tin, 0.002g Iodine, 0.002g Titanium, 0.0018g Boron, 0.0015g Selenium, 0.0015g Nickel, 0.0014g Chromium, 0.0012g Manganese, 0.0007g Arsenic, 0.0007g Lithium, 0.0006g Mercury, 0.0006g Caesium, 0.0005g Molybdenum, 0.0005g Germanium, 0.0003g Cobalt, 0.0002g Antimony, 0.0002g Silver, 0.00015g Niobium, 0.0001g Zirconium, 0.00008g Lanthanum, 0.00007g Tellurium, 0.00007g Gallium, 0.00006g Yttrium, 0.00005g Bismuth, 0.00005g Thallium, 0.00005g Indium, 0.00002g Gold, 0.00002g Scandium, 0.0002g Tantalum, 0.000011g Vanadium, 0.00001g Thorium, 0.00001g Uranium, 0.000005g Samarium, 0.000002g Tungsten and 0.0000036g Beryllium. That is the chemical makeup of an average human adult, right down to the follicles in their eye lashes."

Edward snapped the book shut, and looked over it to see everyone gawping at him, except for Al of course.

"HOW ON EARTH ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET ALL THAT?!" Tayla bellowed.

"LET ALONE ALL THAT!" Fizz added. "BUT IN EXACT MEASUREMENTS?! Oh it makes my head hurt." Fizz complained, slumping on the floor holding her forehead as though she could feel a migraine coming on.

Hermione tutted behind them and shook their head. The two gob-smacked girls turned.

"WHAT?!" They screeched at the bushy-haired girl, utterly offended.

She sighed, pulled out her wand, flicked it sharply and still with her eyes closed said in an almost bored tone.

"_Accio_ Carbon: 20,000g."

There were a few clangs and bangs from up above and in a few short moments a large black cloud of power came flying through the hole of the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

At that point all the wizards pitched in, summoning different elements from the Potion's Supply Cupboard up above them.

But soon enough, Harry and Hermione had abandoned their wands. That was weird… Neville and Ron were still using theirs…

"Hey, Harry." Tayla asked, marching forward, she was curious. "Why aren't you using your wand?"

Harry smiled warmer than he had smiled at anyone all night… She was a relative after all… so to speak.

"Varin Magic… we don't need a wand, really."

Tayla raised an eyebrow.

"So _I _could summon elements from the Potion's Supply Cupboard if I wanted to?"

Harry nodded, still smiling.

_Oh my God, WOW!_ Tayla thought.

"How?!" She demanded; she wanted to unlock her true potential.

Harry jumped slightly at her enthusiasm, but got right back to Accio-ing the cloud of Phosphorus that had just hovered lazily into the Chamber.

"Close your eyes." He said; she did so. "And feel around for a ball of magic within you. That's your magic, no one else's, and it will help you to perform spells and other activities."

Tayla felt around inside her body. Feeling every organ do its job, every cell respire, until eventually she located something that was neither organ nor cell, a foreign object as small as 2 pence, and it was warm and glowing red. This was her magic.

"Once you find it, take hold of it." Harry said, now bringing in the tiniest amount of Silver from upstairs. Tayla grasped onto it with two hands. "That is your magic, and with it you can do anything. Once you find it, you'll find that non-verbal spells become as easy as clicking your fingers."

Tayla's eyes flashed open. Her senses had heightened. Everything seemed too bright inside the dingy Chamber. Every sound, the shuffling of people's feet, the scuttling of bugs, seemed too loud. Every smell too much. The clothing on her back, simple pyjamas, suddenly felt horrible and extremely uncomfortable against her skin. She could actually _taste_ the saliva in her mouth (even though saliva was supposed to be tasteless) … and she had never been able to do that before.

Her eyes then darted to the pile of what others might have thought to be dust lying in the middle of the exceedingly large transmutation circle. She could name everything there… when normally she wouldn't have been able to tell air from, now, compound.

Her eyes trailed to the door and saw nothing travelling through it. She grabbed hold of her magic. And called out in her head.

"_Accio_ Gold: 0.0002g!"

Then, the tiniest dot flew in at lighting speed. Only noticeable, like a fly buzzing around the interior, by the smallest flash it made upon entering the Chamber when the light of the flames cast its glow on it.

She commanded it to stop over the circle, and it did, and then she dropped it.

She gasped.

_SHE COULD DO MAGIC!_

She laughed out loud and grinned. The other Varins smiled at her retrieving her basic instincts. She then got back to bringing down the ingredients for Ed and Al's Mother, the sooner they could get it all down here, the better; she was glad to be of help.

Those who could not do magic felt slightly useless at this point. They couldn't help in the slightest. So they went to wandering round, as it was taking a while, looking at the impressive design of the Chamber, or talking to each other.

Tamaki cautiously approached the Elric brothers, his hands twisting nervously behind his back, a slightly red blush on his cheeks. He was embarrassed that if he asked this question he would seem stupid.

"I have a question." Tamaki put forward; the Elric brother's turned to the sound of his voice, from watching those who possessed magic assemble the elements they needed. "Why is it you need raw materials to bring your mother back? But to get back your limbs and Al's body all you needed was the Stone?"

Ed and Al smiled.

"Well that's easy." Ed grinned, closing his eyes, putting his hands to the back of his head. Al continued for his Brother.

"My body, and Brother's limbs, were kept in the Gate, that's where they were taken as equivalent exchange when we tried to bring our Mother back. So, effectively, they were still alive, still in existence. Our Mum's body no longer exists; it has rotten, as all things that are no longer living do. But her soul, her soul still exits." Tamaki blinked, he was still slightly confused about the concept. Al merely laughed. "All souls originate from the Gate, and it is where they return when their body dies. The Gate is effectively the place of creation for all beings, as well as what those who believe in God would call Heaven or Hell after they die. Some refer to it as the Soul of the World… but it isn't really a Heaven or Hell, it's more of a Limbo, where the souls wander in nothingness. But they can be brought back, as long as the rule of equivalent exchange is followed. But the price of a soul is a very high one, as Brother and I found out the first time."

The two frowned for a moment remembering that night, but then smiles broke out on their faces. That was in the past now. It was forgotten. They had what they had been searching for. And now all they were missing was one thing that was at their fingertips.

"Oh, ok…" Tamaki seemed satisfied. But then another question popped up in his head. "But where does all the energy to do this come from? I mean, it must take a lot, right? Where does it come from?"

Ed and Al became quiet at this question. Coronal Mustang frowned slightly at them. He knew what they were thinking of.

"Well?" Tamaki probed. "Do you not know the answer or-?"

"Oh, we know." Ed sighed.

Tamaki raised an eyebrow, and added.

"Well?"

Ed sighed again, before answering Tamaki's question.

"It was once said that the basic strength of a transmutation circle is the nature of the shape itself. The circle represents the circulation of power. By drawing it, that power can be evoked. By understanding this circulation of power and the laws that govern it, its powers can be harnessed. And one who works within this system of flow to create new things… that is the true alchemist."

Roy smiled from his cool position leaning against the Basilisk's tunnel with a cigarette in his mouth a few paces away. Indeed that was correct.

"Although a transmutation circle acts as a catalyst, it is not a source of energy. So the energy required to perform the transmutation must come from elsewhere." He said, Tamaki nodded, understanding. "This 'unknown energy', the energy that isn't supplied by the circle or the alchemist using the circle, comes from the deceased souls of a parallel universe, as energy can not be created, or destroyed… only redirected."

Tamaki's face fell.

Alchemy involved a lot more death and use of souls than he thought it would. But his thoughts were interrupted by the Twins laughter, who were suddenly behind him.

"Enjoying your Science lesson, Senpai?" Kaoru laughed.

Hikaru leant over his brother's shoulder.

"Hey, Kaoru, maybe next Edward will teach Senpai how to count!" They burst into laughter, as Tamaki turned around and started shouting at them.

"I KNOW HOW TO COUNT YOU IGNORAMUSES!"

"Heh. You sure about that Senpai?" Kaoru jibed playfully. "Tell us, then. How many times Haruhi has broken your heart plus the number of shoes in your closet."

Tamaki's face flooded a deep shade of red as the twins ran away from their Senpai, who then exploded and started shouting all kinds of profanities at them to their complete amusement, mainly commenting on the number of shoes he owned.

"I DON'T OWN THAT MANY SHOES! YOU'RE HIGHLY MISTAKEN!"

"Sure, sure, Senpai." They laughed. "You don't own more shoes than Haruhi's Father… Oh, _wait…_ YOU DO!" They burst into more laughter.

Tamaki increased his pace of chasing them, but the Twin's avoided him easily. It was going to take a while for him to catch them.

Any way…

Kyouya picked up where Tamaki left off.

"You don't seem at all saddened by your mother's death, now… why is that?"

Edward smiled.

"As the Bhagavad-Gita says: 'Death is certain for anyone born, and birth is certain for the dead; since the cycle is inevitable, you have no cause to grieve'."

Kyouya nodded, letting the information sink in. That seemed logical.

"We're done!" Came the happy cry of the magic wielding members of their group.

Everyone was now feeling extremely nervous, no one more so than the Coronal and the Elrics.

"Come on, Al." Ed grinned uneasily. "Let's bring Mum back."

Ed and Al positioned themselves on either side of the circle, facing each other. Ed tossed the stone on to it and it reacted exactly as it had done the last two times. That was a good sign.

The two knelt down by the circle's perimeter and both closed their eyes, now mumbling something to themselves. It was a poem from an ancient alchemic script, as though consulting the wisdom of the past, and the greatness of the alchemists that had realised it contents, might help them succeed this time:

"The peacock's feathers in bright colours, the rainbow in the sky above,

The spotted panther, the green lion, the crow and beak, blue as lead,

These shall appear before you in perfect white,

Pale white and black with false citrine, imperfect white and red,

After the perfect white follows the grey,

And after these shall appear the substance."

Ed and Al clapped their hands, and placed them to the circle.

The blue light engulfed everything again…

The Chamber's eye opened upon a miracle. Stood where, only milliseconds ago, there had been just a pile of elements, useless not living, there now stood a woman, beautiful and full of vitality, a soul glowing within her, giving her life.

"MUM!" The two boys cried, running forward to hug the woman again, and yet again bursting into tears.

Everyone looked on, amazed. This was indeed a miracle only Christmas could bring about.

Next minute, another group of people appeared through the large hole in the wall. They were as equally beautiful as the vampires up on the ledge, but their skin ranged in different shades, perhaps showing different ethnic backgrounds. They looked around the Chamber, sniffing the air curiously and then they spotted Voldemort's dead body. They groaned out loud, they were too late; they had missed out on the action.

Among the group was a blond, whose hair was cropped into short spikes. His eyes zeroed in on the vampires on the ledge and he ran away from his coven, a devious smile on his face.

The water beneath him froze at his touch, creating a path of ice that crawled up the wall to where the Cullens stood. With the pace at which he was running, once ice appeared beneath his feet he was able to slide easily along the slippery surface and surf up the side of the Chamber, squealing.

"Wee!" As he went.

The people he had travelled with were not pleased.

"AIDO! GET BACK DOWN HERE NOW!" A black haired male called out at him, he appeared to have the most authority among them. "JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE HOMOSEXUAL DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN HIT ON EVERY PRETTY GUY YOU SEE!"

Edward became internally smug; SEE! He _was_ admired!

The blue-eyed blond peered curiously at the Cullens, a small smile on his lips, before turning back to the person who had shouted after him and replying in an ambiguously effeminate voice.

"Don't worry, Kaname! You know you'll always have the sweetest ass in my opinion, no need to get jealous." He winked and smiled with a mockingly sweet grin.

Kaname growled.

"HANABUSA!"

"Don't worry, Senpai." He chuckled quietly. "This lot are just like us. They try not to feast upon human blood when they can, have you not heard of them?"

Kaname's eyes narrowed. Perhaps he was annoyed at Aido disobeying him; either that or he was perceiving the Cullens very observantly.

After a long silence, where the rest of the group had now fallen into silence effectively ear-wigging on them, another vampire called out at the blond upon the rocks.

"AIDO! HE SAID GET DOWN!"

But Kaname held up his hand, silencing the red-headed vampire, whose skin was slightly paler than the others.

"It's alright Kain; your cousin might be onto something."

Aido grinned triumphantly. It was now that Carlisle moved, jumping down from the ledge, to walk towards the new coven of vampires. Kaname also stepped forward, as the leader of his coven. It was like two tribal heads walking out to sign a treaty between their two clans, to aid peace. Or maybe they were squaring up to each other…

_Oh, oh._

However, Carlisle did not look at all phased.

"I am Carlisle Cullen." He began. "And I am here with my family…"

…

The introduction went on; the same information as everybody else had learned was repeated: who they where, why they were here.

Yada, yada… _Yawn._

The only interesting bit came when this '_Kaname_' explained what their situation was. Their coven was known as 'The Night Class', and it appeared they, too, had heard of Voldemort's threat to the Vampire race. It soon emerged that they were not under the order of the Volturi, and they hadn't been sent here under there instructions. But the confused expression on their faces soon made it appear that they had never heard of Aro… or Caius or Marcus… or of their especially assembled, highly talented guard… which was odd. In fact… they hadn't heard of the Volturi all together, _that_ was even stranger.

Kaname then went onto explain that they were all of high school age, and, curiously, they all grew at the rate of humans, able to blend in among them when dusk or dawn fell, for they were unable to go out in sunlight as the Cullens were.

Carlisle listened and thought.

Perhaps they were of a different breed: Rakshasa, maybe, or Mahr…

He did not know. All he knew was that he had made some new friends… who held the same goals of conquest as him: vegetarianism; restraint; going against the natural instincts of their vampiristic nature.

He explained how he and his family were able to keep from feeding upon human blood, by hunting animals. It appeared the Night Class had a completely different method all together.

"Have you ever heard of BL-XXXV 06e?" Kaname asked.

Carlisle was almost knocked off his feet he was so shocked.

"BL-XXXV 06e?!" He exclaimed. "How on earth did _I_ not think of that?! It's a blood replacement drug, looks like blood… but isn't… ups the haemoglobin, plasma, platelets and leucocytes." He appeared to be mumbling to himself, shocked by his own lack of ideas by not coming up with such a brilliant idea first, when he, himself, was in the medical profession! His head shot up again, a huge smile on his face. He had to grab this profound opportunity while it was at his fingertips. "Come!" He gestured, putting an arm around Kaname's shoulder, truly interested, as they set off towards the exit of the Chamber. "We must learn more about your way of life."

"And I of yours." Kaname smiled.

The Cullens and the Night Class followed suit, Aido tagging at the back with Edward, who were now debating over whose talent was more useful.

As the vampires departed everyone looked around each other.

… It was over.

Everyone, at that moment, thought the same thing:

_It was time to get out of there._

* * *

The following day the Host Club Christmas Ball commenced as scheduled. Tamaki and Kyouya thought it was good that they had left Mori-Senpai, Honey-Senpai and Haruhi behind to carry on with the preparations; otherwise they wouldn't have been able to have this Ball. And, of course, they would have then let many important people down.

The Great Hall was extravagantly decorated. Enchanted snow-flakes were falling from the ceiling and melting before they could land on people's heads. Every surface was either white, silver or an extremely pale blue, the hue the colours created was cold and beautiful. Where the Teacher's table normally stood there was now a refreshments table and the House tables had been removed completely, leaving just a vast dance floor in its place with moonlight streaming delicately onto it through the high glass windows.

The Hosts were dressed in lavish attire: Bleached white shirts, black slacks and shoes polished to such a high standard that they could reflect even the faintest glimmer of light. Over their shirts they bore light blue waistcoats, their silver buttons glistening in the pale hue projected by the enchanted ceiling. They wore their scrunched ties tight and high against the top buttons of their shirts, the scrunched material being an identical colour to their waistcoats, secured in place by a shiny silver pin.

Everyone else was also dressed grandly. The women were all dolled up in pretty ball gowns of similar pale colours, the men in suits, tuxes and dress robes.

It seemed that the Host Club had forgiven the three girls for their mess, seeing that what they had been searching for was actually true and they were now in even more trouble considering that the thing they had been searching for was destroyed. Tamaki, being the nice, humble person he was, opted not to ruin their Christmas any more by making them work, because he believed that Christmas was a time for enjoyment and truces. He wanted the love to flow between everyone.

So now here the three of them stood, all feeling slightly embarrassed and out of place, dressed in extravagant, extremely expensive, ball gowns.

All were of the same make, the only difference being the colours that the dresses were made of. The colours kept to the theme: light blue, silver, white. Of course when the Host Club offered to get them out of those filthy pyjamas and make them look like royalty for a day they never expected that they'd end up looking like this.

The hems of the gowns puffed out, extending to just brush against the floor elegantly, the gorse like material being lined with a scattering of diamonds that twinkled as they walked. The corsets were to shape their body naturally, whilst framing certain _other _areas. Silk gloves that reached up to their elbows clothed their hands. Elegant high heels were placed upon their feet. Their hair had been done personally by Tamaki's stylist, their make-up also by Tamaki's make-up artist.

_Hey?! How else would he look so pretty every day?!_

And now they stood there, Tayla in white, Sinead in light blue, Fizz in silver, looking like princesses out of a fairy-tale.

The Host Club had invited all those they had met the previous evening to attend the Ball, except for the JPD because they had left before they had, had the opportunity to be invited. They also invited the Hogwarts students; even though they were already invited… the only difference being was that the surprise was ruined for them.

The students of Hogwarts were now all congregated inside the Great Hall, chatting to friends, eating, dancing; just generally having a good time. Draco sat in the corner as his big Christmas-pudding self. A bow-tie stuck precariously onto his front, as he glared out at all those who were having a good time. His only company was his mate, Lisa, who was now looking onto the floor longing, absently-mindly pinching chunks off of Draco and popping them into her mouth. Her expression was dreamy, obviously visioning herself and Draco dancing on the floor, having no idea that she was slowly picking away at her mate, piece by piece.

The Elric Brother's had also been leant suits, and their mother clothing. Al was now gracing his mother with a dance on the floor. He didn't take his little eyes off of her, like he still thought that he was dreaming, and that he would wake up at any minute and she would be gone.

Ed was now sheepishly approaching the girls, he was muttering stuff to himself as he went, he was obviously nervous. He stopped beside them and the girls stopped their chat to look at him.

"What is it, Edward?" Tayla asked airily, smiling politely.

A shudder rippled through his body, and his shoulders came up. The biggest blush any of them had ever seen rushed to fill his cheeks.

"I- I- erm." He muttered, turning even redder.

Tayla laughed.

"Is the FullMetal Alchemist _nervous?"_

Edward startled, but swallowed. He stood up a little straighter.

"Would you like to dance with me?" He put his hand out shyly, looking at the ceiling. It seemed he had gotten over that 'vertically challenged, pretty-boy' comment she had made earlier.

Tayla placed her hand in his. He looked back down, startled.

"Sure." She grinned.

Edward's usual smile came back onto his face as they walked onto the floor and the two height-lacking people attempted to dance some-how. In fact it was quite nice; they ended up laughing at each other for no reason.

Fizz and Sinead looked on with open mouths and silent envy. _Why was she dancing with someone and they weren't?!_

Sinead wheeled around, and spotted a very lonely looking Zero leaning against a wall, sipping a glass of something, glaring at Yuki and Kuran out on the dance floor.

Sinead acted on impulse. No one was allowed to be sulking today, it was Christmas! So she marched straight over to him pulled the drink from his hand, put it on the table behind him and smirked.

"Stop your sulkin' and come and dance with me!"

She yanked him away from the wall and spun him off onto the floor; Zero's eyes lit up now, like life had been ignited in him. This girl, who he had only been briefly introduced to, was like an electric spark. She kick-started him, slightly scared him, but overall, allured him. In other words… he was _interested._

Now all he needed to do was hold back the _thirst_.

Now Fizz was left all alone. Tayla was still laughing her head off with the Alchemist, and Sinead was dancing crazily with a vampire, completely content with the situation. She sighed, but suddenly felt a hand on each shoulder, her eyes widened as she heard a voice whisper in each ear.

"Don't look so bored, we have something that's bound to cheer you up."

Before she could protest the Weasley twins were dragging her backwards towards the refreshment table. This obviously meant mischief was about to ensue.

* * *

"FIRE!"

Cake was flung towards the dance floor and the panic ensued. The cake seemed to be aimed intentionally at a certain blond alchemist and his dancing partner, who only realised what was happening at the last split second. Tayla ducked behind Edward, who was conveniently taller than her, before he could clap his hands and place them to the floor, cake was in his face, icing dripping off his nose.

Tayla burst out laughing at the look on the FullMetal Alchemist's face. Edward wiped the sponge out of his eyes and flicked it on the floor sharply. His eyes narrowed on the refreshment table, where three people sat partially concealed, also in complete hysterics.

"You're going to get it now!"

"No! _You_ are!"

Ed wheeled round only for water to be shot into his face, up his nose, into his mouth and eyes.

The second battalion of their onslaught had gotten to the FullMetal Alchemist; Hikaru and Kaoru were obviously very skilled with water guns.

"_God-damned twins!"_ Grumbled Ed, shaking himself like a wet dog.

"Hey, at least you're clean!" Kaoru chuckled.

"Be thankful! We saved you a lot of trouble!" Hikaru chorused.

Edward screeched in frustration, his fists balling up. They should have expected hell from the Alchemist, but they just couldn't stop laughing.

Ed contained his anger and stormed out of the Great Hall towards the bathrooms, leaving a dripping, crumby trail in his wake.

The Hitachiin twins were met with high-fives from the Weasley twins. This was to be a lesson learned. Never, ever, mix two pair of devious twins together… _Ever._

Tayla had managed to stop laughing, and now felt sudden dehydrated and so made her way over to the refreshments table to cool down a bit. That had been an episode to remember.

* * *

A while later, after the commotion of Operation: _Drown the Squirt_ had died down, things had returned to normal.

Ed had returned, dry and presentable thanks to the Professors drying him off, looking agitated and ready to blow a gasket. But his brother appeared to ease his tension with some talking around, as well as a plea of forgiveness from his Mother. Edward could _never_ disobey his Mother.

The Cullen Coven, with their super speed, had been able to run back to their house in Pembrokeshire. They had conveniently purchased this luxurious abode, which was located near Pembroke Castle, in case they ever needed to suddenly move to the constant dreary cloud-cover of the UK… which was known to rival that of Forks. Within this Manor they had 'managed', as they had put it, to 'find' some clothes that would suit the occasion after Tamaki invited them to Ouran Host Club Christmas Ball.

They had returned looking even more stunning than when they had left and were currently on the dance floor, outshining absolutely everybody with their dancing, spinning gracefully around the floor in a fast-paced, lusty, heat-locked tango. The other dancers had stepped off of the dance floor, looking on with unadulterated jealousy and feeling completely and utterly pathetic in the presence of such talent.

Even Edward Cullen looked on with jealously, because he did not have a partner. And the sad thing was that he knew no one else in the room could dance the tango that well with him. So he was stuck watching his parents and siblings outshine the mortals, feeling kind of sorry for himself.

As _the_, _flawless,_ Edward Cullen sulked, a 15 year old Reily, who this time Ron recognised, appeared through the doors which were thrown open onto the Entrance Hall, pulling a scraggy looking youth behind her. His jaw was tight and his eyes were wide, he obviously didn't want to be there.

But before he could do anything, Reily pushed him forward to stumble in front of Tayla, who had previously been leaning against the refreshment table, talking casually to Tamaki about his mother, obviously not wishing to make a fool of herself with the Cullens on the floor; Fizz and Sinead were in close proximity, having a conversation of their own, and looked up to see why some random stranger had just been shoved forcefully, rather embarrassedly, in front of their friend.

Her gaze swept around to see the very nervous looking young man, before her eyes widened. She knew that face, but it was somehow surprisingly different to the last time she had seen it.

"Stanley?!" She asked, tilting her head to the side to be sure it was him.

Stanley's eyes also dilated, he knew that voice…

"Tayla?!"

His jaw dropped open.

SO THIS WAS THE REASON REILY HAD DRAGGED HIM ALL THE WAY BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL HOMELAND AGAIN!

It was more than obvious he now expected her to leap into his arms and snog his face off, or at least clamp her arms around him and refuse to let go ever again. So, it came as a very large shock when he was slapped across the face.

"WHAT IS THIS I HEARD ABOUT YOU CHATTING UP VEELA AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP?!"

"Erm, well…" Stan muttered, getting over the initial shock of being slapped silly, going a rather off shade of red.

"YOU'D CHOOSE A VEELA OVER ME?!"

"Well… I haven't seen you in… what? 50 thousand years-?"

She smacked him hard across the arm, her brow contorted into complete displeasure.

"OW!" He hissed. "You're very strong for someone so short." He complained grouchily, rubbing his arm where she had hit him.

She smirked, her eyes flashing with wild deranged anger; she never liked it that he made fun of her height.

"You sound so confident for such a spotty little Varin."

He rubbed his arm, sulking like a little child. His hair covered his face for a brief moment, and when he looked back up his skin was the clear complexion she remembered.

"Oh!" She suddenly broke out, starting her ranting again; she wasn't quite finished with him yet. "And _you_ for the _youngest_ Minister for Magic ever?! Don't make me laugh! You always did have some dreadful pick-up lines!" She laughed slightly, smiling at the fact she was making fun of him.

He had now taken her hand was leading her onto the dance floor. He twirled her around and pulled her into his arms; he noticed the absolute sarcasm in her voice, what with him being one and a half million years old… that wasn't exactly going to be the _youngest_ Minister for Magic _ever._

"Would I not even make it as an Elder, then?" He pouted, as they came into perfect step with the Cullens, practically surpassing them. Fizz and Sinead's jaws fell open. _WHEN DID SHE LEARN TO DANCE LIKE THAT?!_ "How does the title: '_Master of Defence'_ sound to you?" He opened his mouth and threw his eyes skywards as though trying to be funny.

"That's even _more_ unlikely!" She exclaimed, before bursting into a fit of giggles. She hadn't acted so childish in a long time, a _very_ long time.

The pair continued to dance magnificently, like they had been doing the tango all of their lives. No ones eyes in the Hall left them, everyone was mesmerised. A deafening sound of applause burst into life when the song ended and the two looked around in surprise as everyone grinned back at them, clapping maniacally.

They shot a wary glance at each other and the surveyed the jubilant crowd again. Were they really _that_ good?

It was then they noticed the Cullens bowing. Not wanting to look like fools they did the same, the applause only grew louder.

Grins where plastered on their faces as Stan led his mate off the floor, pulling her along as they laughed at how easy it had been to impress the mortals.

As they neared Tayla's friends again Stan suddenly stopped, looking down at his mate with a wider smile than before. From Reily's observance he hadn't been this happy in a very long time.

"Hey… It's your birthday today." He remembered. He knew now never to forget that date. Besides the fact it was her birthday it was also significant for other, more _complicated_ reasons.

Tayla's eyes widened. That fact was true!

"So?" She asked expectedly. "Did you get me a present?"

Stan suddenly stifled. _Oh… shit…_

Tayla looked up at him in confusion. Her expression creased slightly.

"Well…?" She almost growled.

Stan lifted a hand to his head, thinking desperately.

"Well…" He laughed nervously. He only had one thing at hand, so he'd have to go with it. "I'm sure I could think of _something…"_

He leant down so he was at her height and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes suddenly widened, like she was remembering something.

Fizz and Sinead strained their ears. The only words they picked up where: _Ambroise, quarters, office, rub it in the bastard's face…_

It appeared Tayla's only answer was to nod, some emotion they had never seen before twinkling up from behind her irises as she looked up into the face of the brown-haired youth, who was practically a stranger to her.

And then he was dragging her away, both of them laughing like school children, or maniacs bent on revenge...

The two just watched for a moment, until they snapped out of their stupors. Where the hell was _he_ taking their friend?

"Where are you two going?!" Fizz called after them.

The two stopped abruptly and peered back at them, as though a donkey had just done a back flip. Had she seriously just asked that question?

Tayla muffled a groan of frustration, swinging her arm in Stan's.

"Does it really concern you?" She pouted.

The two of them raised their eyebrows and shot each other glances.

This time the blonde let out a sigh and dragged her mate back towards her friends. Stan had to be practically dragged, but Tayla's stubbornness persisted. He knew resistance was futile.

"Do I have to tell you where I'm going?" She grumbled, looking annoyed. Stan looked even more irritated then her.

Fizz and Sinead nodded, they were concerned about her safety after all.

"_They sound like the parents I never had." _Tayla muttered under her breathe so quietly that they couldn't hear her. _"But then again they sound like me over Eytan or Lucius or Stephanie or Leo…" _She let out a defeated sigh, hanging her head low, like she was almost embarrassed. "… Shouldn't it be obvious?" She grumbled; she didn't really want to talk to them about this. This was _personal…_

Her friends' eyes widened.

"But you've only just met him!" They protested.

Tayla suddenly found that stubbornness she had possessed before.

"Does the fact I've had _children_ with this guy not make sense to you?" She raised an eyebrow at them.

"But how do you know that it's true?! I mean… these implications might be false or something! He might be a pervert tampering with your brain!" Sinead stammered.

Her eyebrow remained raised. _Did they not see her perform magic back down in the Chamber?_

Tayla sighed, putting a hand on her forehead. Some things they would never understand…

"If I didn't know Stanley, how would I know he is fanatical about dairy products? That he has a precious teddy bear who is called _Teddy?_ Well… he did have until we had Eytan, but then he gave him up for _'better uses'_… And, _most importantly,_ how on Earth would I know the fact that he's better _endowed_ than Ambroise?"

_Who the crap is Ambroise…?_

"How can any of those things be proved?!"

Tayla's eyes narrowed.

"Fine then!" The female Varin retorted aggressively. "If I didn't know him, how would I know his natural hair colour is blond?!"

Stan dropped his glamours, his hair becoming long and straight dropping down his back, to hang just over his shoulders, with a new shade of bright platinum blond. Sinead and Fizz were in shock. Neither of them had been let out of their sight, suspicious of the guy; they had been listening to every word of their conversation, nothing had been mentioned about hair colour…

"Now if only _I_ could remember how to do that…" She laughed quietly, wishing she knew how to get rid of these damned glamours… but unfortunately she just couldn't remember. _Stupid memory charm._

Stan smiled; it was now time to prove that he knew her.

"And if I didn't know Tayla, how would _I_ know that she has an addiction to cookies? How would I know about the birthmark on the right-hand side of her abdomen? The fact you can paralyze her, or just piss her off, by grabbing onto her elbows? Not to mention the breathing problems she still has, which people think is asthma… but really it's due to the fact that when we were younger I was the one responsible for breaking her-"

She slapped a hand over his mouth to shut him up. She was glaring at him now.

"Do you want to tell them our entire life story?" She hissed.

"Ok …" Sinead interrupted their argument "Ok, I believe you. You _do_ know each other. But that doesn't explain why after 5 minutes of not seeing each other for _50 thousand years."_ She still found it hard to believe anyone, any_thing_, could live that long. "You want to…" She stopped, pressing two of her fingers together nervously.

Tayla raised her eyebrows and laughed slightly.

"It's in the nature of a Varin to be, let's say, slightly _licentious…"_ She smirked.

"_Slightly?_" Sinead raised her eyebrows.

Tayla's shoulders sunk as she rolled her eyes sarcastically. She huffed out, getting fed up.

"Ok, _VERY_ licentious!"

Stan chuckled with her as he enveloped himself around her, pouting back at her friends as she did so. _They were innocent they swear…_

Tayla stared up at them with large eyes.

"Please?" She pouted, trying to convince them.

Still her friends shook their heads. Now anger beset her features, Stan backed off… he knew not to get in her way when she went into bitch mode.

"It's none of your business what I do!" She told them. "He's saved my life on numerous occasions! He's my mate! Why won't you believe me?!"

Tayla started coughing, the stress obviously bringing on an asthma attack. Her friends' eyes widened. _Oh shit…_ she didn't have an inhaler with her!

They continued to look on in panic as the blonde gasped for air, her eyes staring wide at her friends. They had to help her.

They looked cautiously up at Stan, trying to trust him. But they just couldn't.

Tayla gasped louder, her chest heaving faster and faster as her airways got smaller and smaller.

If they didn't do something soon, she would be starved of oxygen. Sinead gave up; she didn't know what to do.

"Do you know how to help her?!" She snapped at Stan, who just nodded quietly in response. "Well don't just stand there! HELP HER!"

Stan walked up to his mate in a blur and walked out of Hall at a lightening pace. The two brunettes looking on with saddened hearts, they just hoped he _could_ help her.

After walking down the corridor leading away from the entrance Hall, the two of them burst out laughing.

Stan put her down and she collapsed against him in hysterics. He laughed with her.

"That always did work!" She laughed, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

Stan laughed harder, having been on to the old trick from the beginning.

After a few more bouts of laughter, they quietened down, a pair of sapphire and a pair of grey eyes gazing back each other through the darkness.

His aura switched: flickering like a flame from yellow, representing playfulness, to clear red…

_Lust._

Their eyes locked, before their lips were sealed, kissing each other fiercely, desperately.

Tayla was shoved up against the nearest wall, her hands fumbling at the bottom of his shirt.

… They never did make it to Ambroise's old office.

* * *

Edward suddenly smelt something in the air. It was tantalizing, mesmerising, and all he wanted was so badly to taste it on his lips. He closed his eyes, and let his nose direct him to the source of the bouquet. He found he had turned about 180 degrees or so, and when he opened his eyes he knew he was in love.

Reily sensed it immediately, and her head shot up to see Edward Cullen staring, practically drooling over, the old man that was walking along the side of the Hall.

"DORIAN!"

The old man stopped and looked at her with large sapphire eyes.

_What's wrong?_

Edward lurched forward. Reily began screaming at her mate.

"DON'T STOP YOU IDIOT! RUN!"

_Why?_

"BECAUSE THE VAMPIRE HAS JUST FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOU!"

Dorian's gaze wheeled to the vampire who was charging at him at full-speed.

"Oh _crap."_

Dorian immediately dropped his glamours… revealing himself not to be Dumbledore, but a taller version of Harry with blue eyes. He then legged it from the Hall at full pelt, his purple-star covered robes billowing behind him. Edward chased after him, Reily chasing the two of them.

"RUN DORIAN RUN!" Many of the students chorused, it could be assumed all of them were in the house of Stormblade.

Edward Cullen had no escape now. If he harmed Dorian, it was more than certain that Reily would kill him. They all hoped he made the smartest decision, and didn't have to endure the wrath of Stormblade, because they all knew she would ruthless.

Fizz and Sinead looked on in confusion. Harry was suddenly standing beside them, looking after his parents with a solemn look on his face. He probably guessed Edward's fate.

The Cullens were now chasing after the commotion too, but before they got there it would probably be too late, as they were not as fast as Edward.

"That's… _not…_ Dumbledore…" The two murmured in unison, trying to get their brains around the concept.

Harry shook his head.

"Nope. His name is Dorian. He is my Mother's, Reily's, mate. He's also my Father. He's had to pretend to be Dumbledore all these years. It's a very long, very drawn out, very _complicated _story…" He frowned.

"Oh…" They murmured together again.

They were sure they would understand sooner or later, because they had already made the decision to stay at Hogwarts for the rest of the year, because:

a) They had no idea how to open the tunnel they had come through.

b) The Hogwarts Express wasn't going to be leaving again until the end of the year. (Well it did, after the students came back after Christmas, but, shh! Let's pretend they didn't know that!)

In other words, they wanted to stay at the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry as long as they possibly could, as to not let the fairy-tale die. Besides… it appeared that they now couldn't tear Tayla away from Stanley.

Where were those two, anyway?

Overhead a red falcon sang out a twinkling tune. Heads turned up to the ceiling to see the majestic bird sitting on the shoulder of a blue monkey. It was a truly odd, yet amazing sight.

The song oozed happiness and contentment, like all was well with the world. One thing was for certain: this had been their most memorable Christmas… _so far,_ that is.

* * *

**And there you go! 8D**

**Please note: I didn't feel the need to mention Ryuk or Rem because no one other than Light, L, Misa and the JPD had touched the Death Note, and they weren't exactly there for very long, and personally Ryuk scares me. XD**

**I also never mentioned Bella (Swan) because she's a Mary Sue… Blargh. I also had to make Carlisle look stupid… even though he's the only one I actually like… apart from Alice, and maybe Jasper… because he makes me laugh for absolutely no reason.**

**Also, there weren't just four people present in the Night Class, there were 10 of them. Including: Kaname Kuran (President), Aido Hanabusa, Zero Kiryu, Yuki Cross and Kain AkAtsuki (All of who were mentioned.) The rest are: Takumi Ichijou (Vice President, he's pretty. X3), Ruka Souen, Senri Shiki (He's also pretty. :P), Rima Touya and Seiren… something. Yuki, Ruka, Rima and Seiren are all girls, the rest are guys… of course. **

**Thanks to Emma, DragonDaemon93, for letting me use her respected quotes from her fanfiction: **_**A Tribe from Long Ago: Chapter 7: Oh Dear. **_**Dudes you should read it! IT'S AMAZING! Go to this link… NOW: ****http:// .net/s/ 4945218/ 1/ A_Tribe_From_Long_Ago**** (You have to remove the spaces.)**

**And if you want to know what Tayla and Stanley were talking about, go to the other Christmas Present I wrote. Here's the link: ****http:// .net/s/ 5549341/1/ Before_Long_Ago**** (Yet again, you have to remove the spaces!)**

**I don't know why… but I imagine that tango I mentioned to be danced to 'Harder to Breathe' by Maroon 5. Odd I know… But hey, it works in my head. But other than that you can imagine whatever music you want for them to rave to! I'm sure my playlist would be completely different to yours… XD**

**I hope you guys liked it: Fizz, Sinead… wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. :)**

**(A review from each of you would be a nice Christmas present in return…) XD**


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